


Forgotten

by Axelrocks



Category: Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-15
Updated: 2014-04-12
Packaged: 2018-01-01 15:18:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 21
Words: 37,826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1045460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Axelrocks/pseuds/Axelrocks
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Four months after the Governor's final attack and the sickness that had killed several, the prison is once again thriving. In the hustle and bustle of their lives, they all have seemed to forget about one woman who had been with them since the beginning. It was like she had never been there to care for them all. Everyone had seemed to forget she had even existed. Except for him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

"Going hunting again?"

Daryl stopped in his trek to the outside gate where his bike was waiting, shouldered his crossbow and turned to his friend, who had been coming from the gardens. Rick walked closer and he couldn't help but notice the dirt on the man's knees. It was obvious the man had been weeding and he wasn't surprised that once everything had calmed down, he had gone right back to his farming.

"Yeah, I gotta keep everyone fed and we ran out of meat at lunch. Figured I could maybe snag us a deer or somethin'."

Rick chuckled, which was something he did more now. "I'm sure we all can go a meal without any protein, Daryl."

"Ya'll are goin' to have to. I don't plan on comin' back until tomorrow afternoon. Don't want to hunt all the game so close to the prison, so I'm goin' to go a couple miles out."

The former sheriff frowned slightly. "Another overnight trip? Isn't that the second one in a little over a week?"

The hunter shrugged. "There ain't much else to do around her at the moment. Figured this was a way to keep busy and still be able to do somethin' to help out."

"All right, then." He placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Be careful out there, man."

Daryl have him a barely there nod. "Always am." Then, he turned on his heel and walked up to his bike. Mounting it, he gave Carl the signal to open the gates and without a glance behind him, he was off roaring down the dirt road.  
\-------------------------------------------------  
It had been four months since the Governor had attacked the prison for the last time. Four months since a mysterious sickness had taken over half the prison's residents and four months since Rick had kicked Carol out for killing two people.

Things had gone smoothly those months. The Governor was dead, the sickness had finally run its course and people once again started to rebuild their home. The only change was that one of the most important woman of the group was now gone.

Daryl had been angry, so angry he had seen red, when Rick told him what he had done. The redneck had wanted to kill his 'best friend', almost had in fact. It had taken Tyreese and Bob to pull him off their leader. The former sheriff had been almost unrecognizable with all the blood on his face.

He had looked for her. Everyday for a month, he had looked _everywhere_ for her. If Michonne had been obsessed with finding Phillip Blake, he had been obsessed with finding Carol Peletier.

After that month, though, he slowed down in his search and only went out every few days. Things with Rick started to get better and the urge to kill him soon went away.

Things at the prison went back to normal and everyone, even those who had been with her since the beginning, had seemed to forget that Carol had even existed.  
\------------------------------------------------  
After riding for about a half hour, Daryl pulled off the side of the road and hid his bike behind some bushes. Unstrapping his crossbow, he kept his eyes open and alert while he trekked through the woods. He wasn't looking for any game, but if any were to jump out in front of him, then he'd kill it.

No, he had come out here for another reason. It was the same reason he came out here every time. He just fed Rick the same bullshit lie about going hunting and the man never questioned him as long as he came back with some kind of meat.

His pace quickened after walking about a mile, when he saw a cabin ahead of him. It was a small cabin, but looked cozy.

Smiling, he shouldered his crossbow as he got closer and when he reached the door, he knocked. Seconds later, a familiar voice called out.

"Who is it?"

"Who do you think?" He tried to sound annoyed, but the smile on his face would definitely give him away.

The door swung open and suddenly, his arms were full with a female body. Kisses were littered across his cheeks and chin.

"God, I missed you so much, Daryl."

The hunter chuckled. "I was jus' here a few days ago, woman. Can't have missed me that much."

The woman in his arms took a step back, crossed her arms and pouted. "Jesus, Daryl can't you just admit you missed me, too."

He smirked. He loved it when she pouted. "Fine." He cupped her cheeks and ran his thumb gently over her slightly parted lips. "I missed you, too, Carol."


	2. Chapter 2

** Chapter 2 **

In all honesty, Carol was surprised that it had taken Daryl a month to finally find her. Well, she hadn't expected him to look for her, at all. She had thought Rick would have told everyone what she had done and they would have all agreed with his decision. What she had done was wrong, she knew that, and that was why she thought Daryl wouldn't come looking for her.

Daryl had honor and what she had done, killing two innocent people, hadn't been honorable. It didn't matter that she had thought she was stopping the sickness from spreading; those people had been part of their group. Had been part of their large family. Had been her friends.

She had been hurt when Rick banished her, but it didn't take her long to understand it. He didn't want her around his children; even though she knew, she would never hurt them. She had killed Karen and David to protect them.

Much help that had been and now she had to live with the consequences of killing two living human beings.

It hadn't taken her long to find herself in a small, deserted town. Nothing about it seemed familiar to her, but the lack of walkers gained her interest. Instead of staying somewhere within the town, she found an old motel on the outskirts and decided to take one of the rooms and make it her new home. If only temporarily.

The afternoon Daryl found her had just been like every other day. She had just got back from scavenging some of the homes in town. The number of walkers had decreased greatly, since she managed to kill a few every time she took the trip. She had stacked some of the canned foods she had got on the table in the corner and threw some of the clothes found in one of the houses on the bed. She had just walked to the bucket of water by the sink, to clean off some of the walker blood that had splattered on her, when she heard the roar of an engine.

She'd know that sound anywhere.

However, she was reluctant to throw open the door of her room. What if wasn't him? What if was just her mind playing a cruel trick? It had been a month after all. He'd probably forgotten all about her.

The engine suddenly stopped in front of her room and she stood poised with the washcloth in her hand and eyes glued on the door. Would he just burst in? Would he knock? She snorted a laugh at that. Daryl Dixon _knocking?_ That would be a sight to witness, since she had only seen him burst through any door he came across.

The question that weighed most heavily on her mind was... What would he do when he saw her? Would he wrap her in his arms? Would he just stand there and stare or would he blow up at her for being such a horrible person?

She didn't have much more time to think about his reaction, because suddenly the man himself was in her room, crossbow raised and ready to shoot if need be. The washcloth in her hand landed back in the bucket with a splash and all she could do was stare.

"Carol?" He asked as he stepped forward. It was almost like he wasn't sure it was really her. She couldn't help but notice how tired he looked. His face was pale and there were dark circles around his eyes. What had this man been up to in the month since she had last seen him? Obviously running himself ragged.

"Yeah, it's me." She gave him a half smile, but she didn't expect him to start walking quickly towards her, throwing his crossbow on the bed as he passed it and within seconds she was engulfed in his arms.  
\----------------------------------------  
The town didn't look familiar to him as he rode through it on his bike. The lack of walkers unsettled him. Was there another group holed up here? 

He just wanted to take a quick look and get the hell out of there. Maybe if he hurried up, he'd be able to check more places before he had to start back to the prison. Thoughts of the prison had him grimacing. Just that morning, Rick had pulled him aside and told him he needed to stop going out everyday, because they needed him there.

He wanted to tell him to fuck off, but in a way, he knew that Rick was right. He hadn't gone hunting since Carol had been banished and he knew that their meat supply had depleted and all they had now was canned stuff. So, he promised Rick that it would be his last time searching for a couple days. He wasn't going to stop looking for Carol all together, though.. Hell no. As long as she was out there, then he'd be looking.

"You know you can't bring her back here if you find her, Daryl," Rick had said to him before he drove off that morning. Daryl had ignored him and rode past. He'd bring Carol back, just as he had brought back Merle. Even though Merle was his brother, he knew that the things he had done had been much worse than what Carol had done and yet, Rick had still let him in the prison.

Finally, he made it to the outskirts of the town and spotted a motel off to the right. He had considered just driving past it when he noticed a car parked in the parking lot. It fit the description that Rick had given him about the car he had given to Carol. Is this where she had been hiding?

He didn't waste time looking in the other rooms and went straight to the room the car was parked in front of. He thought briefly about knocking, but quickly shot the idea down. Knocking was a thing of the past. Now, you just burst into whatever room or home you pleased and hoped there weren't any of the undead there to surprise you.

Part of him had expected her to be there, but the other part thought he was just going to find an empty room. His heart stopped when he opened that door and saw her standing there. She was looking straight at him and neither one said a thing. But he had to make sure that it was her. Had to make sure that his mind wasn't playing a cruel trick on him.

"Carol?" His voice came out hoarse and scratchy. His eyes never left hers and he waited for her to say something. _Anything._ Once she did, he was already across the room and gathered her thin frame in his arms.  
\----------------------------------------------  
Carol didn't know how long they stood there locked in each other's embrace, but she did know that she never wanted him to let go. She had never been this close to him and now, she never wanted to be apart from him again.

Too soon, though, he was pulling away from her and looking around the room she had been calling home for the past few weeks. "I see you got yourself a nice set up here." He smirked down at her and she was happy to find that he still held hers arms gently.

"Yeah, I guess." Truthfully, it was a good set up. She had a nice, comfortable bed, there was a town just down the road where she got her food and behind the motel was small creek where she got her water. She had been lucky to find it.

"Shame you have to leave it."

"What?" She took a step back from him. "Leave?"

Daryl looked at her like she was crazy. "Course. You're comin' back to the prison with me. So, let's pack up your stuff and go." He moved to do just that, but she quickly grabbed his arm.

"I can't go back there, Daryl. You know that."

His face hardened at her words. "No, I don't know that and you will come back. We still need you there."

Carol looked down and rubbed at her arms, a defense mechanism she hadn't used in a long time. "And who exactly is we, Daryl? Rick made it clear he doesn't want me around his children. Tyreese won't want me there. What about the others? They have to know what I did by now."

When Daryl remained silent, she knew she had her answer. She couldn't go back to a place where the people she had once called family now hated her. It would destroy her.

"If you ain't goin' to go back, then I'm stayin' with you." He stepped into her personal space once again.

"You can't," she said softly. She nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt his calloused fingers tilt her chin up so that she looked at him.

"And why the hell not?" Hurt flashed in his eyes.

"It's not that I don't want you here, Daryl. I do, but they need you at the prison." She gently wrapped her hand around his wrist and pulled it away from her face.

"You're all alone. You need me more." He was pleading with her, she realized.

"No, Daryl, everyone back at the prison needs you more. I can take care of myself." She gave him a sad smile. "You made sure of that."

"Fuck, Carol," he growled and ran a hand through his already messy hair. "I didn't look for you every day for month to have you not come back with me."

"Every day?" She asked, surprised.

He gave her a sharp nod. "Yeah, every fuckin' day."

"And what has Rick said about this?" She knew that the absence of one of his strongest men probably didn't sit well with him.

"He didn't like it, but I don't give a fuck what he thinks anymore. This is the second time he's done this shit to me and I ain't goin' to forgive him again."

"Second time for what?"

He paused in his pacing and looked her right in the eye. "This is the second time he's kicked someone out that I cared for. Someone that I...loved."

Carol gasped and was about to say something, but Daryl was already heading towards the door, crossbow in his hand and back to her. "Where are you going?"

"Said you didn't want me to stay and you don't want to come back, so I'm leavin'. It's gettin' late."

"Daryl..." Her voice cracked and she struggled to keep the tears at bay. He had just admitted he loved her and now he was leaving? What if she never saw him again? "Please...don't go."

He turns to her, his gaze hopeful. "So, you want me to stay?"

Carol let the tears fall, then, because she knew she couldn't ask this of him. Couldn't ask him to stay. There were people at the prison, like Lizzie and Mika, who needed his strength. She couldn't take it away from them. Especially for such a selfish reason as loving him and wanting him to always be with her.

"Fine," he growled and let his face go back to its hardened mask. "How long you goin' to be here?"

The question surprised her a little, but she answered it, anyway. "Until I can't anymore."

"A'right. I'll be back, then."

She was too stunned to speak. He wasn't going to leave her permanently? He'd be back?

"Don't know when it'll be. Suppose whenever I can get some free time," he gave her his trademark half smile. "But this ain't the last you'll see of me."

"Good." She gave him a bright smile and with another nod, he turned to open the door.

"Stay safe." He called back to her, then walked out the door and made his way back to his bike. Carol hurried over to the window, pulled back the curtain and watched as he drove away. Instead of feeling sad that he was leaving, she felt hopeful. He didn't hate her and he was going to visit her again. He had also admitted he loved her, even though he had left right after. He had still said it and it made her heart soar.

She'd count the days until he came back, but until then, she would still focus on surviving on her own.


	3. Chapter 3

** Chapter 3 **

Daryl had been reluctant to leave Carol alone at the motel, but she had made it clear that he was needed back at the prison. He'd be back, though. He hadn't spent the last month looking for her, to just not see her when he did find her. No. He cared too much for her. Loved her, actually. But he didn't know what to do about Rick. He'd never allow Carol back into the prison and would probably try to talk him out of visiting her so often, if he knew that was what he was doing.

Fuck him. He wasn't Rick's bitch and he figured he could come and go as much as he damn well pleased.

A few hours later, he was driving up the familiar dirt road that led to the prison and waited, with his crossbow out and ready to shoot at any walker that came near, for Carl to open the gate. He drove past the younger Grimes and didn't stop until he was at the place where he parked his bike. He really wasn't in the mood to talk with anyone at the moment and hoped to make it back to his cell without anyone interruptions.

"Hey, Daryl. Hold up a second."

So much for not being interrupted.

He turned with a scowl and watched Rick jog up to him. He was hoping the ex-sheriff would notice the look he was making and back-off, but he had no such luck.

"Anything?" He asked. To anyone else, that question could have meant several things, but to Daryl it only meant one thing. He was asking if he had found any sign of Carol.

Daryl briefly wondered if he should tell the man the truth. What would he do if he knew he had found her? Make him stay and not visit her? Hell no. The man couldn't make him do anything he didn't want to. "Naw, didn't find her." He decided, at the last moment, not to tell him. Rick didn't want Carol back and the rest of the group didn't seem to want her back either, so they had no right to know how she was doing.

Rick looked down. "Sorry to hear that. Are you going to still go out and look?"

Daryl's gaze hardened. "Said I needed to go huntin'. That's what I'm goin' to do. Reckon since I haven't found any sign of her, I should just up and quit."

Rick nodded. "The group can use more meat in their diets and with the Governor still out there, we need all the muscle we can get in case he decides to attack again."

_You would have even more if you hadn't fuckin' banished Carol!_ That was what he wanted to say. They had lost many people to the sickness and many more were still recovering. Thankfully, Glenn, Sasha and Lizzie were some of the few that had made a full recovery. Even with the meds, they had brought back, some people still had died.

"I'm goin' to my cell to rest. I'll go out huntin' in the mornin'." He adjusted the strap of his crossbow and began walking to his cellblock. Rick didn't attempt to follow or talk to him more. He still had not forgiven the man, and probably wouldn't for a long time, but he was civil to him. He'd be even friendlier now that he knew that Carol was all right, but the brother relationship he had with the man was forever going ruined.

There was nothing Rick could do that would make Daryl ever trust him again. This was the second time he had left someone he cared about to fend for themselves. The man had to know how much Daryl had cared for Carol, hell he wouldn't be surprised if everyone knew, and yet, he still wouldn't allow her back.

That wasn't fair.  
\------------------------------------------------  
Daryl holed himself in his cell for the rest of the night. Actually, it was Carol's cell. He had taken residence in it a week after he had found out she was gone for good. The pillow had long ago lost its scent of her. Maggie had dropped off a plate of food earlier and hadn't even looked him in the eye as she handed it to him.

Rick had told him about Maggie agreeing with his decision and knew the woman felt guilty about it. _Good,_ he thought. Carol had been like an older sister to the Greene girls and the oldest one hadn't hesitated to turn her back on the woman. She hadn't even asked to know Carol's side of the story before she made her opinion about the older woman.

Beth, on the other hand, had been devastated by the news. Of course, she hadn't shown it on her face when Rick told them all, but that night he had walked by her cell and had heard her softly crying.

He picked at his food, wishing, not for the first time, that it had been a certain short-haired woman with amazing blue eyes that had brought him his meal. She would have stayed and eaten with him. She'd also tease him and he would tell her to stop, but never mean it. He liked that she'd act that way around him. It made him feel special.

Now, she wasn't there to make him feel special, but at least he knew where she was and he was going to visit every chance he got.

Someone knocked softly on bars behind his curtain. He didn't answer, thinking that it was probably Rick. He had enough of talking with that man for awhile.

"Hey, Daryl. It's me." The curtain moved and a face peeked around the fabric. It was Glenn. "Can I come in?"

Daryl sat up more on the bed. He hadn't talked to the Korean man in awhile and he supposed he could spare a few minutes for him now. "Come in." He gestured to the stool that sat in the corner and Glenn grabbed it to place it by the bed and took a seat.

Glenn seemed nervous as he sat there and he looked around the room, not once looking at Daryl who was still lying on the bed.

"Got somethin' to say, Short Round, then spit it out." He growled growing impatient. If he had wanted to sit in a room with the man and not say a word, he would have gone to the commons area during dinner.

Glenn looked right at him, then. "Are you really done looking for her, Daryl?"

Daryl sat straight up, his boots hit the concrete and he glared at the man in front of him. "Who told you that I was?"

"Rick. Told everyone at dinner that you would be around more and I just assumed that meant you weren't going out anymore."

"Why do you fuckin' care? You haven't said shit about her since Rick kicked her out. I thought you took your woman's side and was glad she's gone." Daryl's voice grew steadily louder until he was almost shouting in the Korean man's face.

"I do care about her!" Glenn shouted right back, which surprised him. "What Rick did was wrong. He should have consulted us before he made that kind of decision and now she's out there somewhere and so is the Governor."

Daryl's blood ran cold at that realization. So far she hadn't seen the one-eyed man, but he didn't know what he was up to now. She could be in trouble or...dead, for all he knew. She should have fucking come with him!

"You can't just leave her out there, Daryl. She needs to be here...with her family."

"What family?" He said, softly. "The only ones who want her back are you, Beth and me. Everyone else...doesn't. She wouldn't want to come back to that."

Glenn looked saddened and he sat back on the tool with his shoulders slumped. "I miss her."

"You ain't the only one, man." Daryl sighed and laid back down in his bed.  
\------------------------------------------  
The next morning, Daryl found himself awake just as the sun was coming up and decided to skip breakfast so he could get an early start hunting. He hoped to get a deer or two, knowing that it would last everyone at the prison a couple days. Maybe he'd try for a couple of rabbits, too, but he would take those to Carol. She had looked skinnier and he knew she could use the meat.

The forest was quiet as he walked through it and he reveled in it. The prison had always been a little too loud for him and he had enjoyed his hunting trips.

Surprisingly, he hadn't come across any walkers as he walked further and further into the woods, but he knew they were still out there and he kept a sharp eye out. It would cost him his life if he got distracted. He didn't know how far he was in the woods, but knew that he had been walking for a long time.

Something up ahead caught his eye and he continued to walk forward. As he got closer, he saw that it was a cabin. A nice looking one.

Keeping his crossbow out, he inched closer to the cabin and turned the knob on the door. It opened easily and he did a quick scan of the inside. There were no walkers in sight, which was a relief. There were also no humans. Another relief.

The cabin was small and from where he stood, in the middle, he saw that it had one bedroom, a tiny kitchen that was also connected to the living room, which had only a couch. In the bedroom, there was a good size bed, a closet and a door that led to a bathroom.

This would be a perfect place for someone to live.

_Carol._  
\-----------------------------------------  
After his find, Daryl quickly went off to finish his hunt. He'd come out the next day and clean it up a little and then he would go out to get Carol. Instead of her being several hours away, she would only be a couple minutes with his bike. He just hoped she'd agree to the move.  
\-----------------------------------------  
Carol knew that Daryl would be back, he had told her he would, but she didn't expect him back only a few days after finding her.

She heard his bike before she saw him, just like the last time, but instead of waiting for him to burst through the door she opened it and waited for him to come to her. She'd hoped that he would kiss her, since he had admitted that he loved her, but he just brushed past her into the room.

"Something wrong?" She asked and shut the door behind them.

"Naw," he looked around the room and shouldered his crossbow. "I jus' found you a new place." He gave her a half smile.

She tilted her head in confusion. "A new place? But what's wrong with this one?"

"Too fuckin' far away." He knelt down and picked up a duffel bag on the floor. "Now, let's pack up all your shit."

"Wait, Daryl," she gripped his bicep and made him stop. "I haven't said that I'd go with you."

He glared at her. "Why the hell wouldn't you? It's perfect for you and its closer. I cleaned it out yesterday, so it's ready for you."

Carol didn't look at him. "Does Rick know that you're moving me closer to the prison?" She couldn't imagine him liking it, if he knew.

"Hell no and I ain't goin' to tell him. It shouldn't matter anyways." He went back to stuffing clothes in the bag. Obviously, he wasn't going to take no for an answer.

"Well, can you at least tell me about this place?" She moved to the table by the window and began to gather the cans of food into another bag.

"It's a small cabin a little less than a mile from the prison. Found it while I was out huntin'. It's bigger than this place." He looked up and really smiled. "You'll like it."

"It sounds nice, but..." She trailed off.

"But what?"

Carol paused in her work and sat looked at him. "Why do you want me closer?"

"Think you know." He walked around the bed and stood in front of her. "You shouldn't have to leave in the first place and this way you'll be closer...to me. Now, hurry and pack. We're wastin' daylight."  
\----------------------------------------  
A few hours later, they had pulled off to the side of the road. Daryl made sure that her car was safely hidden, since it would there for a while and they took as many supplies they could carry.

"It ain't far from here," he called over his shoulder.

Carol didn't say anything as she followed behind him. She was nervous to see this new place. She knew that she would like it, but she had also noticed that it was close to the prison. What if someone stumbled on to it and found her? What if it was someone like Rick...or Tyreese?

"Here it is!" Daryl announced some time later and she found herself in front of the cabin. "Come on," he motioned. "Let's bring this stuff inside and get you settled." He waited until she walked up to him before he entered the house.

Carol went directly to the bedroom and plopped herself on the mattress. When Daryl followed her, she looked up at him and smirked. "I gotta make sure the bed is all right before I agree to stay here." She patted the empty space beside her. "Join me."

She was surprised when he set his crossbow on the ground and crawled on the bed. Instead of taking the empty spot next to her, he crawled until his whole body hovered over hers.

"This all right?" He asked, looking a little unsure of himself.

Carol let out the breath she had been holding and nodded. Was this really going to happen? Now, after all these months, was he finally going to do something to initiate their relationship?

His warm breath washed over her face and her eyes never wavered from his. She was going to wait for him to make the first move. If he wanted this, if he wanted her, then he'd have to show it.

Finally, his lips descended on hers and she didn't hesitate to kiss him back.


	4. Chapter Four

Daryl returned back to the prison just as it was getting dark. The sound of his bike alerted whoever was on watch and the gate was being pulled open just as he got there. It didn't take long for Rick to find him after he parked the Triumph and dismounted.

"Not much luck, huh?" He asked when he saw the couple scores and rabbit strapped to his belt.

"Naw, but at least I got somethin'." He didn't look the ex-sheriff in the eye for fear the man would see exactly what he was feeling. For the first time in a month, he felt _happy._ Carol was safe, she was near and she was his. That evening in her cabin had cemented that fact.

All he wanted to do now was drop off the game in the kitchen and retire to his cell. There he would lie in his back and recall the events of earlier. Like the way Carol had wrapped her legs around his waist, the way her chest felt pressed against his and the way her tongue slid deliciously against his own.

"Daryl?" Rick was looking at him oddly.

"What?" He scowled, annoyed that his was so suddenly pulled from his daydream.

"Nothing. You just looked like you're somewhere else."

_I fuckin' wish._ "Naw, I'm here." He shrugged and turned to leave.

"Do you want me to take those and let you get some rest? You look tired."

He _was_ tired. A smirk came to his face as he walked away from Rick. Carol had worn him out.  
\----------------------------------------------  
The day the Governor attacked had been just like every other day. Daryl woke up with the sun, dreams of Carol still on his mind and stumbled to the bathroom to take a cold shower before everyone else got up to start their days.

Making his way to the outdoor kitchen, he noticed that he wasn't the only one up. Beth, who had taken over the cooking since Carol's banishment, was now slaving away over the fire. The cooking was too much for one person, especially someone as young and inexperienced as Beth. The job had practically been thrown at her and Daryl couldn't help but feel sorry for the girl. He wanted to bet that her older sister was still asleep in the cell she shared with Glenn.

"Need help?" He didn't know that much about cooking, except for maybe frying the meat, but he figured he could at least help the girl with something.

Beth jumped slightly at his unexpected presence, just like Carol had always done. She turned to look at him, mouth set in a hard line. "No, thank you." She snapped and turned back to her work without another word.

Daryl stepped back, confused. What the hell had he done to the little Greene to have her get all snappy with him? He'd expect something like that from her sister, since he had been spending the last month giving her dirty looks, but not from her sweet tempered little sister.

"You sure?" He tried again, thinking that maybe she had been upset with him because he had startled her.

"No, I'm fine," she said without looking at him. "Why don't you go see if Rick has anything else for you to do?"

Daryl froze at the icy tone of her voice. "Excuse me?" He couldn't believe that she was talking to him this way.

She turned to him, then, her face a picture of innocence except for her eyes which flashed with anger. "I'm sure Rick has something you'll happily drop everything to do, Daryl."

"The hell you sayin'?" He took a step closer and was surprised when the girl didn't cower away. He knew how menacing he could be.

""Daryl, I want you to go hunting. The group needs meat.'" She spoke in a gruff, deep voice, clearing trying to imitate Rick's way of speaking. If the situation hadn't been so serious, Daryl would have laughed.

"The group does need meat. Don't see you makin' vegetables for breakfast."

"'Daryl, we need you here, so stop looking for Carol.'" Everything made sense then. Beth was upset that he had stopped looking for Carol. He was about to open his mouth, not to say he had found her, but to say that he hadn't given up, but she continued. "I can't believe you just up and quit looking for the woman you obviously had feelings for. Did she not mean that much to you? Was she just someone to dump all your problems on and then, not give a shit about after?" Beth's voice grew steadily louder. He had never heard her raise her voice before.

Instead of getting angry, Daryl remained calm. "Look, Beth, I ain't done lookin' for her and there ain't anythin' Rick can say that will make me quit."

She blinked in surprise. "Really?"

He nodded. "Rick ain't the boss of me and I only do the shit I want to do."

Beth's cheeks flushed in embarrassment. "I'm sorry for saying those things, then. I've never cussed before and it just kind of slipped out."

Daryl smiled. "Well, it's about time you fuckin' start." People began to trickle into the eating area and a few ladies approached the blonde-haired woman and helped with the rest of breakfast. Daryl took that as his cue to grab a bowl and leave.

It surprised and gladdened him that there were at least two people, other than him, still in the prison that cared about Carol.

Daryl took his bowl of food and walked to the same spot him and Carol had stood a short month ago, watching the walker build up on the fences. This time he was alone. Well, for a moment.

Glenn jogged up to him seconds later. "Hey." He greeted with a smile and Daryl returned it. "I didn't get the chance to talk to you when you got back last night. Everything okay?"

"Everythin's fine."

Glenn looked at him oddly, then. "Something is different about you. You look...happier? You smiled at me."

"Well, fuck, can't a man smile around here?" Daryl growled and focused on his breakfast. He didn't need the nosy ass Asian in his business.

"Something is going on you with you, Daryl." Glenn looked him over. "And I'm going to find out what it is." He threatened.

Daryl didn't have a chance to respond, because the air was filled with the sound of an approaching vehicle. A _large_ vehicle. He looked up and nearly dropped his breakfast on the concrete.

A fucking _tank_ was making its way towards the prison's fences.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Daryl and Glenn stood frozen as the tank neared the outer fence and without stopping, burst through it. The noise of twisting metal had them all leaping into action. Breakfast was forgotten as everyone who had been outside ran for the guns. They had all been prepped in what to do if a situation like this occurred. Except none of them didn't know what to do about a fucking tank.

Both men, along with many others grabbed a weapon and ran to the fence surrounding the courtyard and waited on what to do. Besides the tank there were at least five other vehicles following closely behind and each vehicle carried people that were heavily armed as well.

No one fired from both sides and the prison group watched as the tank and other vehicles came to a stop several yards away. The top hatch of the tank flipped open and the man Daryl hated most in the world stepped out.

Phillip Blake.

He didn't even know Rick had ran up beside him, but the moment the Governor showed his face he heard his friend mutter, "Shit" under his breath.

Things at the prison were still a little uncoordinated. People were still sick and others were recovering. Not one thought of the leader from Woodbury attacking them had entered their minds. They had been taken completely by surprise at the man's sudden appearance, but this was also something Rick, Daryl and Glenn had made sure they would always be prepared for.

"What the hell do we do?" Daryl whispered to Rick, hoping that the man had an idea, but before the he could say anything the Governor opened his mouth.

"Rick, we need to talk!"

The ex-sheriff cringed slightly from his spot almost wedged against Daryl. The hunter side-eyed him and waited to see how he would respond. Rick took a deep breath and shouted back, "I'm not the leader anymore. I don't make the decisions."

Daryl's head whipped around and he glared at the man. What the hell did he mean by not making decisions? He obviously had made the decision to banish Carol, even though that had supposed to been the job for the council. Rick couldn't just pick and choose when he decided to be the leader.

"We have a council, now." Rick continued. "They are the ones that make the decisions." Did he plan on having the council go out and talk with the psychopath?

"No, Rick," the Governor smiled. The patch on his way made him look even more sinister. "I just want to talk to you. We have some unfinished business."

Rick looked at Daryl, eyes hard but still with a hint of fear. "If he tries anything, you have to get everyone out of here. Judith, Carl...everyone."

Daryl nodded. They had a plan for this and everyone knew it. They would all pack up in a bus or other vehicles scattered around the prison and flee the place they called home. They would all meet at a farmhouse several miles away.

With another glance at everyone and a shoulder pat to Carl, Rick opened the gate and walked out to meet the man on the tank. Carl quickly took his father's spot and raised his rifle up, just like everyone else was doing.

"Let me make the shot, Daryl." He spoke suddenly and without looking at the hunter beside him. "I can end this, right now."

Daryl looked at the boy, no the young man, next to him. He knew that the younger Grimes had been gunning to kill the Governor just as much as him and Michonne. Daryl didn't know the real reason since the boy hadn't suffered any real loss from the man. "And what if you miss? What then? The moment you fire that weapon all of them people in those vehicles will start firin' and your daddy will be right in the middle of it."

"If I take down their leader, maybe they won't attack." Carl argued.

"We can't risk it. Think about Lil' Asskicker. With that fuckin' tank, it would be easy for them to just burst right in here and kill everybody. We don't shoot unless we absolutely have to." Daryl made sure that his words were final. He wasn't going to have the trigger happy teenager create chaos if it could be prevented.

Carl glared at him for a moment, but soon brought his attention back to his dad and the Governor. No one could hear what was being said, no matter how hard any of them strained. Suddenly the Governor took his eyes off Rick and focused at the people gathered at the gate.

"If you don't leave now, Rick, everyone you care about will die." The sentence was clearly aimed at them and they all gasped. Leave the place they called home?

A shot rang out. The Governor jerked as something hit his arm. Everyone stood still as the man standing on the tank fell to his knees and grip where he had been hit. No one moved, except Rick, who took the opportunity to dive behind an upturned bus. Daryl looked over at Carl and knew that he had been the one to shoot, but before he could yell at the boy for being so fucking stupid, all hell broke loose.

Thankfully, it was the prison group that had recovered first and they began to fire on the members of Phillip's group and was able to take some of them out before they could react. Bullets soared through the air. Some met their marks and others didn't.

The Governor had recovered long enough to climb back into the back and started it back up. They may have gotten the upper hand in the surprise attack, but the prison group was no match for a tank.

"Glenn!" Daryl shouted to be heard over the gunshots. "Tell everyone to aim at the people in the other vehicles. I'm goin' to get a few grenades and see if I can stop that tank before it does too much damage."

Glenn nodded and took off. Maggie was the first person he approached with the order and together they spread the news to everyone. The vehicles neared the gate with the tank leading the way. Everyone scattered to find cover somewhere else, but he stayed and hid behind a couple of filing cabinets. He needed to get close to the tank so he could throw a grenade down the cannon, but he couldn't get close if the people in the vehicles were still around to shoot him. So, he had to wait.

He didn't have to wait long, fortunately. The tank burst through the gate close to where he hid and screeched to a stop. The rest of the Governor's men had scattered around with the goal of taking out as many of the prison group as they could. Daryl didn't hesitate; he burst out of his hiding spot, pulled the pin from the grenade and threw it down the canon.

Daryl watched from the corner of his eye as Michonne ran up to him, no doubt seeing the chance to finish the Governor. They didn't have to wait long, because the man flung the door open and scurried to get off the tank just as the grenade went off. He stood up and froze when he came face to face with a crossbow.

Daryl wanted to shoot a bolt between the man's eyes, but settled for letting one fly and imbed itself in the Governor's chest. The force of it caused him to stumble, but before he could fall to the ground, Michonne's katana swung and the Governor's head fell to the ground. Followed by the rest of his body.

Phillip Blake was dead.

* * *

Taking out the rest of the attack group had been simple after that. Glenn and a few others had thrown grenades at many of the trucks, others shot down those that ran at them on foot and the very few that were left surrendered when they saw their leader beheaded. All together, there was only four people left. Three had been forced to put their guns down at gunpoint, while one was found visibly shaken behind one of the unmoving vehicles.

Rick took the four into the prison with Daryl and Glenn keeping their weapons on them. Sasha and Hershel followed behind, since this was a decision the council was going to make. What should they do with the prisoners?

* * *

Several hours later, it was told that they had a camp a few miles away that only consisted of a few women and children. Tara, the woman they had found cowering, said that her sister and niece were back at the camp and that they had used all of their weapons and ammo to take out the group.

Rick looked long and hard at the four, one woman and three men. They all looked scared and it was clear that they hadn't wanted to attack once they had found out there were sick children in the prison.

The council agreed to let them go, but told them if they ever saw them around the prison again, they would kill them. All four nodded their heads in agreement, surrendered their weapons and were sent back to their camp.

Daryl was confident that they wouldn't have any trouble from them, now that the Governor was dead and done spouting his lies.

Thankfully, no one had been killed in the attack but many people were wounded and Bob and Hershel had their handfuls caring for all of them.  _If Carol had been here, then they would have an extra hand_ , Daryl thought bitterly.

The thought of Carol caused his blood to run cold. Had she ran into any of the Governor's people while they were making their way here? Would they have killed her? Without a thought, he took running for his bike.

"Where you going?" Glenn yelled after him.

"Out," he shouted back. Before he could drive off, Glenn grabbed his shoulder and stopped him.

"You can't leave right now. We have to clean up all this mess."

"I ain't goin' to be gone long. I jus' need to check up on somethin' real quick."

Glenn gave him on odd look, before he smiled and let him go. "All right, but hurry back, okay? I'll distract Rick, so he doesn't know you left."

Daryl gave the young man a grateful smile, then started his bike and drove off. He had to make sure Carol was all right.

* * *

After parking his bike, he practically ran the rest of the way to Carol's cabin and didn't even bother to knock. He panicked when he didn't see her in the main part of the cabin, but sighed in relief when she appeared in the doorway to her room with a gun pointed at him.

When she saw it was him, she immediately lowered it and looked him over. "Daryl, is everything okay?"

He nodded and took three giant steps to wrap her in his arms. She was all right. No one had come by to harm her.

"What's going on, Daryl?" She was worried now, he could tell it in her voice.

He stepped back and let her go. "The Governor attacked." She gasped. "Everyone's fine. None of our people were killed, but some were injured."

"Lizzie? Mika?"

"Jus' fine. They saved Tyreese's life. He would have been a goner if them girls hadn't come out and shot the two people after him. The way I see it, he should be thankin' you. If you hadn't taught them kids to be strong, they wouldn't have been there to save him."

Carol's eyes lowered to the ground, but Daryl saw the tears forming in them before she averted her gaze. He pulled her into another embrace. "Hey, none of that now. Everyone is jus' fine."

Carol nodded against his chest, but didn't say anything.

They stood like that for a while before Daryl reluctantly stepped away. "I need to head back. Glenn's coverin' for me back at the prison and I'm sure it won't be long until Rick sees that I'm missin'." He bent down and gave her a long kiss. "Don't worry, darlin', I'm goin' to be back as soon and as often as I can."

She gave him a watery smile. "Hurry back, okay?" She gave him another kiss. "I love you."

Daryl smiled. Those words being spoken to him would never get old. "I love you, too. Now, you be safe and I'll be back soon."

With one final kiss goodbye, Daryl left the little cabin and the woman he loved and drove back to the prison where he would help the others clean up their home again.

 


	6. Chapter Six

**Chapter 6**

**_Present Day_ **

Daryl didn't want to move. He was perfectly comfortable where he was. The small, feminine body pulled close to his chest kept him warm and the feel of her soft skin against his made him want to do more things with her than just cuddle.

"Daryl..." Carol moaned as his hand began to travel south. First, skimming over breasts and making sure to pay the same attention on each one, then it continued to move down to her stomach, past her belly button and down to that place that made her squirm.

"Do you want me again?" He whispered in her ear and continued to work her until she lay shuddering beside him.

" _Yes._ " She turned to her back and spread her legs wider, giving him better access. Daryl nipped her shoulder and in one fluid motion, rolled over and settled himself between her legs.

"Tell me that you want me, Carol. I want to hear it." His tongue began to trace her collarbone and make its way up until he was sucking her earlobe into his mouth.

"I want you, Daryl." She squirmed impatiently. " _Now."_

"All right, darlin'." He claimed her mouth with his and in one smooth motion of his hips, he was inside of her. His tongue danced lazily with hers while he slowly moved his hips. This would be the last time they would be together for a few days and he wanted to make it last.

Carol's nails dug into his shoulders and her legs tightened around his waist, but he kept the slow pace. "Daryl..." She growled softly, clearly getting impatient.

"Sorry, honey." He kissed along her jaw. "Wanna make this last."

She didn't say anything and continued to meet him thrust for thrust. The grip on his shoulders lessened, but he knew there would still be marks there. He didn't mind, though.

Suddenly, without warning, he wrapped his arms around her and rolled to his back, so that she hovered over him. He smirked at the look of surprise on her face.

"Daryl," she said placing her hands on his chest and lifted herself up. "I've never done it this way before. I don't know how..."

"It's all right." He reached up and cupped her cheek. Being so soft and gentle with someone was new to him, but he liked being that way with Carol. "Jus' do whatever feels good."

"Okay." She still sounded nervous and bit at her lower lip.

"Come on," he urged gently by lifting his hips from the bed. "Jus' move. You'll be fine, sweetheart." The terms of endearment came easily to his lips, especially during sex. He could tell Carol liked them, because she would always give him a smile every time he used one.

Slowly she began to move on top of him and he smiled encouragingly. "Jus' like that, Carol." He moaned. "You feel so good."

In the three months since he had found her, they hadn't done this nearly enough times. To his dismay, trips out of the prison had been seldom the first several weeks after the prison had been attacked. They had to build new walls around the yard and Hershel and Bob ran themselves ragged taking care of the wounded. He had been part of the rebuilding crew and that made it nearly impossible to visit Carol.

Once the new fence was up, he went out every couple a days under the guise of going hunting, but the main reason was to visit that little cabin in the middle of the woods. It made him uneasy that Carol was out there alone, but there was nothing he could do about it. Rick had made it clear that he didn't want her back and Tyreese would still be a huge problem, if she did.

Suddenly, she tightened around him and threw her head back as she came undone. He followed soon after with his finger digging into her hips. He'd leave a mark on her, just like she had done to him.

"That was amazing." She smiled against his chest.

"It's always amazin'." He tucked her head under his chin and pulled her close. He never wanted to leave, but it was getting dark and he had to return to the prison. He had spent the night and most of the day here and Rick would be expecting him back soon.

Reluctantly, he sat up and Carol climbed off him. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and searched for his clothes, which were littered all over the floor.

Carol's cool hand massaged his shoulder as he pulled up his pants. "Do you have to go?" She asked this every time, but always knew the answer. He hated to leave her, but she knew he was needed back at the prison. Right now, he was the group's only source of meat.

He turned and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and nearly pulled him back to the bed. "You know," he said between kisses. "You can come back. Let me talk to Rick and I'll handle Tyreese. That way there won't be nights where we sleep by ourselves."

She pulled away with a frown and eyes glistening. "I can't go back. We've talked about this, Daryl." She sat back on her knees and looked past him, willing the tears back.

"I know," he sighed. After putting his shirt back on, he sat on the bed and began to lace up his boots. Carol crawled until she was flush against his body and wrapped her arms around his waist. This was one of their rituals.

"I'm going to miss you," she whispered and placed a kiss on his shoulder. "Come back to me soon, all right?"

"I will." He stood up and looked down at her still naked and sitting on the bed. Seeing her there, looking so beautiful, made him want to never leave. He'd gladly stay the rest of his days in her bed and tangled up in her sheets. He brought his thumb up and gnawed on the skin there. A sign that he wasn't sure about something.

"What's wrong?" Carol instantly picked up on it and asked.

"You know, this isn't jus' about sex to me, right?"

"Of course." Her brow furrowed in confusion. "What would make you think that I thought any different?"

"Every time I come and visit, that's what we end up doin'. It's almost all we ever do and I don't want you to think I'm jus' comin' here so you can scratch an itch I have." He ran a hand through his shaggy hair, causing some of it to stick up. "I guess what I'm tryin' to say is that I hope you know that you mean so much more to me than jus' sex."

Carol smiled and rose up on her knees to cup both of his cheeks. "I know, Daryl."

"Good." He returned her smile.

"Well, you should probably leave before Rick starts to worry, if he isn't already. I'll see you soon, okay?"

Daryl hated this part. The part where he would kiss her goodbye and walk out of the door. He hated leaving her.

"Don't forget the squirrels," she smirked. "Don't need Rick to think your 'hunting' trip was a bust."

"Of course." He smiled back and headed towards the door to the bedroom.

"I love you, Daryl."

He turned back to her, face serious. "Love you, too and I'll see you in a couple days, okay?"

She nodded. Tears were back in her eyes, but she didn't allow them to spill over. She was trying to be strong for him, he knew. She hated being left alone, but knew nothing could be done about it.

With one last look at the woman he loved, he grabbed the string of squirrels by the door, slung his crossbow over his shoulder and left the cabin.

* * *

It was completely dark by the time he arrived back at the prison and Glenn was the one to open the gate for him. He walked up to Daryl and watched as he dismount from the bike. He grimaced when Daryl thrust the squirrels at him and began walking to the cell block.

"Just squirrels?" Glenn asked as he followed behind the hunter. He had to quicken his steps so he could catch up with him. "Thought you might have found a deer with how long you were gone."

"Didn't fuckin' come across one," Daryl grumbled. "Now, why don't you take those to Beth and quit botherin' me." This was becoming a normal thing. Glenn would always find him right after he came back from his hunting trips and asked useless questions.

"Maybe I could go with you next time?"

"Better on my own." Was the quick reply.

"You can teach me how to hunt, so you don't have to go out there so often."

Daryl stopped suddenly and turned to face him. Glenn nearly ran into the now angry redneck. "I'm fine with doin' all the huntin' on my own. Now, take them damn squirrels to Beth and leave me the fuck alone!" He whirled away from the young man and quickened his step up to the cell block.

Instead of being bothered by Daryl's outburst, Glenn just smirked as he watched the man retreat.

* * *

Daryl had just settled into his bunk, hair still damp from his quick shower, when the curtain covering his door moved and Rick poked his head in. He stifled a growl, wishing that people would just leave him the fuck alone.

"Hey, can I come in?"

He was practically in his cell anyway, so Daryl just nodded. Rick stepped fully into the cell and took a look around. Remnants of Carol were still visible, like the white dresser she had dragged in herself and the small stack of books in the corner. Daryl had brought most of her clothes back to her, but made sure to keep some things around so people wouldn't get suspicious and wonder where everything had gone.

"I know you just came back from a hunt, Daryl, but I was wondering if you and Tyreese could go on a run tomorrow afternoon. Beth made up a list of things that we need." Beth had practically taken over all of Carol's former responsibilities. She cooked, took care of Judith and made up lists when the supplies ran low. The only things she didn't do was have story time with the children and make up the chore schedule. The latter was done by a few other women and the former no longer was happening.

Instead of asking why the former sheriff didn't go on the run himself, he just nodded. He knew why Rick wanted him to go on a run with Tyreese and it took everything in him to not lash out at him. The two men had been at odds since Rick had told everyone about Carol. The large man had immediately wanted her head and Daryl had been quick to defend her. With his fists. It had taken Bob and Rick to peel him off the larger man. It had probably been for the best, because even though he had struck first and fast, Tyreese was still larger and stronger than him. Since then, the two men had made it a point to avoid one another. Rick didn't like the tension it caused and it looked like he hoped that going on a run together would make it all better.

"You two will be all right going together, right?" Rick took his cop stance as he spoke the question. Daryl was no stranger to the stance and knew that the other man used it whenever he wanted to assert his authority.

"I ain't goin' to hit him, if that's what you mean."  _Unless he says shit about Carol_ _._

"Good. We all need to get along with each other, Daryl, and I think it's time you and Tyreese settled whatever you have going on between you two."

Daryl gritted his teeth. "You sound like a God damn kindergarten teacher, Rick, and you know the exact reason why me and him are at fuckin' odds!"

"Daryl-" Rick started, but Daryl interrupted.

"I get it, Rick, now leave me alone so I can get some rest." It had been a long time since he had last spoken to Rick like that, but Tyreese was a sore subject with him and he didn't like that Rick was acting like he didn't have a reason to be angry with the larger man.

"All right, I'll see you tomorrow and we can discuss everything we need, then." He waited to see if Daryl would say anything, but he didn't, so with a sigh he left the cell. Daryl was glad to finally be left alone.

"Wish you were here, Carol," he whispered to himself before he shut off the lamp and went to sleep.

 


	7. CHapter Seven

**Chapter 7**

Carol woke up the next morning. Alone. The mornings after Daryl left were always the hardest. The first time they had been together, she had almost convinced herself that it had all been a dream when she woke up alone that next morning. She knew Daryl would stay with her permanently. He'd even told her he would, but she was the one to tell him that he needed to go back to their, no his, family back at the prison.

Daryl was the only person she had left in this world. Everyone at the prison hated her, she knew. They had to, especially after what she had done and Daryl had never told her about anyone that missed her, so she figured no one did.

Lying in bed wasn't making her feel any better. So, with a sigh, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and searched for the clothes Daryl had flung all over the room. After getting dressed and running her fingers through her slowly growing out hair, she made her way to the kitchen and went about making breakfast. Instead of making food for dozens of people, she now just made food for herself. She immediately willed the tears away. She had already cried enough in the past couple months to last her a lifetime.

It wasn't that she thought her life now was bad, it was actually much better than it had been four months ago when she had been banished and alone. She had Daryl, now, but the days and nights spent by herself took its toll on her sometimes.

Carol took her breakfast, a couple granola bars and a bottle of water, to her sitting room and sat in the armchair near the fireplace. This was where she spent most of her time. Occasionally, she would go out and check some of the snares Daryl had set up around the cabin so she would have her own source of meat. Otherwise, there was nothing for her to do, besides sit in her chair and read.

She picked up the worn copy of Tom Sawyer and was surprised when something folded fell out of its pages. She never used bookmarks, since she usually remembered the page she was on, so she picked up the paper with a look of confusion. It was a thick piece of paper, like construction paper and when she unfolded it, tears came to her eyes.

It was a drawing, clearly drawn by a child. It had three stuck figures all standing with large smiles, one was considerable larger and with short, curly gray hair and above it said 'Miss Carol', the other two figures where the same size and with long blonde hair. 'Lizzie' and 'Mika' were scrawled over them. The three figures were surrounded by flowers and a large yellow sun shown above them. This was something she would put on a refrigerator, but where had it come from? It hadn't been here a few days ago. The last time she had picked the book up had been a few minutes before Daryl knocked on her door.

Daryl...

Before he had left the day before, she had heard him miss around with something in the living room but she had just thought he was gathering up his things. Tears freely fell from her eyes, now; Daryl had brought back a drawing from her girls. God, she missed them so much.

Pulling her knees up to her chest, she continued to look at the picture. A smile crept to her face and she wiped the tears from her cheeks.

* * *

Daryl didn't want to get out bed the next morning. The last thing he wanted to do was go on a run with Tyreese. Maybe he'd go and see if he could scare Glenn into going. Rick would get on his ass, though, and he definitely didn't want to deal with that.

The curtain to his cell was suddenly yanked back and Carl stood there, sheriff's hat perched on his head. "My dad wants to know when you're getting up."

Daryl grumbled and sat up in his bed. "I'll be down soon." He ran a hand through his already mussed hair.

"Good. He wants you and Tyreese to leave soon." Without another word, the boy was gone and the curtain was back across the doorway.

With a sigh, Daryl climbed out of his bed and began to gather his stuff. He wasn't looking forward to spending the next several hours with a man who hadn't made it a secret about how he felt about Carol. He hated her.

Slinging his crossbow over his shoulder, he made his way to the outside eating area and took a bowl of oatmeal from Beth with a smile. Rick, Carl and Tyreese already sat at a table eating their meal. He ignored them and made his way to another table where Lizzie and her little sister Mika were eating. He hadn't really talked to the girls much since Carol's banishment. They had surprised him the other day with a picture drawn in crayon. It had been of Carol and the two girls. At first, he hadn't known what to do with it, but when he gave Carol a visit a few days later he decided he'd give it to her. He wondered if she had found it yet.

"Hi, Mr. Daryl." Mika greeted when he sat across from them. He grunted a greeting back and set to eating his food. The two girls didn't pay him much attention and talked amongst themselves as they ate. He groaned when he spotted Glenn out of the corner of his eye heading his way. The past couple months, it seemed like the guy was stuck to his hip.

"Morning, Daryl." He smiled and took a seat next to the hunter. "Morning, girls." The girls repeated the greeting back. "So, Daryl, I heard you're going on a run with Tyreese."

"Yeah," he mumbled. "Wanna trade? I'll stay here and you go with him."

"I take it, Rick pulled the 'I'm the leader, now, you must do what I say' card, huh?"

Daryl leveled the younger man with a look. "The he-" He stopped himself in time, remembering that the girls were right there and within earshot. "The heck you think?"

"Sorry, man. I'd go instead, but that would probably not go over very well with Rick." Glenn hadn't been too happy with Rick about his decision to banish Carol, either.

He sighed. "I know. Guess I jus' have to push through it. I ain't gonna say one word to the bastard and hopefully he gives me the same courtesy."

Glenn chuckled and nudged him in the side. "I'm sure it won't be that bad."

Before he could reply, Lizzie suddenly spoke up. "Mr. Daryl, have you given Miss Carol that picture we drew?"

Both men were taken back with the girl's question. They hadn't spoken about Carol since the woman's disappearance.

"Uh, no." Daryl finally answered. "I haven't seen Carol since she, uh...left."

"Oh." Lizzie looked so saddened, that he almost told her that he had seen Carol and that he visited her very often, but he couldn't. It was his secret to keep and he didn't need Rick or Tyreese to find out that was why he went out 'hunting' so much.

"Don't worry, Lizzie," Glenn spoke up. "Daryl is going to find her and when he does, she'll get that picture." He turned and looked at his friend. "Right?"

Daryl just stared at the Korean. There was something in the young man's eyes that he couldn't read...or didn't want to. It was like he knew something...

"Is that true, Mr. Daryl?" Mika asked.

He nodded and that seemed to be enough for the two girls because they then declared they were done and went off to do whatever they did around the prison.

A large figure walked up behind him, then. He could tell it was Tyreese by the shadow the man created. "Rick wants us to leave as soon as you're finished."

Daryl rolled his eyes and stood up. Without looking at the man once, he took his empty bowl to the sink where some of the ladies washed the dishes. The crossbow remained secured on his back and he made his way back to Glenn and Tyreese. "I'm ready. Let's go."

* * *

They had been on the road for an hour and thankfully, not one word was said between the two men. Daryl drove with one hand on the wheel and the other one up to his mouth, teeth gnawing on his thumb. Tyreese sat in the seat next to him and seemed to be fascinated with the scenery passing by his window.

The town they planned on looting was only another ten or so miles and Daryl hoped it would be an easy run. He wanted to get all the shit on the list and get the hell back to the prison. Maybe he would be able to convince Rick that he needed to go out again. He missed Carol something fierce and it hadn't even been twenty-four hours since he last saw her. Maybe one of these days he would tell Rick that he was going on a week long hunt. He knew that would make both of them happy.

"Looks quiet." Tyreese suddenly spoke and Daryl was brought out of his daydream. The small town did look quiet. No walkers in sight, but that didn't mean there weren't any nearby. Maggie and Glenn had been out here once before and had managed to clear off a majority, if not all of them, but more still could have wondered in.

Daryl parked the truck outside of what looked like a bar and grabbed his crossbow from the back seat before climbing out of the vehicle. Tyreese followed quickly after, his hammer out and ready to be used.

"Let's make this quick, alright," Daryl said without looking at his partner. "We get in and get out. There ain't much on the list, so it should be easy." He silently crept from the truck to the building next to the bar, which was a shopping mart. In a small town like this, they were sure to find just about everything they needed in there.

Together they walked into the store with their weapons raised and ready to use. The store was empty from what they could tell, but they knew to remain careful and alert.

"You go and get all the foodstuff you can," Daryl ordered. "I'll get the rest and we'll meet here when we're finished."

"Sounds good to me." The large man agreed and walked off to do what he was told. Daryl cautiously checked each aisle as he walked past to make sure there were no walkers to surprise him and when he reached the baby aisle, he took out a bag and began stuffing things Rick had said Lil' Asskicker needed.

The little girl had just turned one a month ago and pretty soon, he knew she would be walking around. Now, she could say a few words like 'da' and 'Car' which was short for Carl. Beth was trying to get her to say her name, since she was the one who took care of her the most. Daryl cringed when he thought about how little Judith would probably never say Carol's name. She probably wouldn't even remember the woman who had such hope and love for the baby.

With the thought of everything Carol would miss when it came to that little girl, Daryl wanted to hit something. He wanted to knock the shelves over, he wanted to kick and yell, but he couldn't do that. He just kept the anger bottled up inside and hoped that it would go away someday.

After gathering everything on the list, he made his way to the back of the store and was surprised to see a little jewelry counter tucked into the corner. Glass was smashed in some places where people had grabbed some of the stuff, but others were intact and he went to take a look. Carol wasn't one to wear jewelry, well at least he hadn't seen her wear much, except for her earrings and that damn cross necklace she had gotten rid of the winter before they found the prison. Maybe there was something left that he Carol would like.

Placing the bag full of baby things by his feet, he leaned over the counter and peered through the glass. Immediately, a delicate looking bracelet caught his eye. The chain was small and silver and in the middle hung a small blue heart. The color of Carol's eyes. It would be a perfect gift for her. Taking out his knife, he used the handle to smash the glass and picked up the bracelet.

"That for Beth?" Daryl nearly jumped when Tyreese silently approached him. It took him a minute to register what the man had said and he clutched the bracelet hard in his hand.

"The hell you mean?" He turned and growled.

The large man growled. "Figured you were getting that for someone and the only person I could think of that you would be sweet on back at the prison would be Beth."

"She's a kid!" Daryl could believe what the man was suggesting. Beth barely ever crossed his mind and when she did, it wasn't for any romantic reasons. The girl was a kid in his eyes, a baby sister, not a potential mate.

Tyreese shrugged. "To each his own, I guess. I just thought since you've seemed happier these past few weeks, you've gotten yourself a woman and Beth came to mind."

Yeah, he was happier but it wasn't because of Beth. He'd barely said ten words to the girl since Carol's banishment and the other day at the stove had been their longest conversation yet.

"There was only one woman I ever thought of being with..." Daryl trailed off; surprised that he would admit something like that.

"Who?" Tyreese paused and then, his eyes hardened in realization. "You wanted to get with that...murderer?"

Without thinking, Daryl lunged and slammed Tyreese into the nearest shelf with his arm at the big man's throat. "The fuck you jus' call her?!"

"You heard me!" He spat. "She killed Karen and David. She's a murderer and Rick had every right to banish her. In fact, he should have killed her as punishment for what she did."

Daryl's fists slammed into the man's cheek and he went down. The hunter was on him in seconds and was unrelenting with his punches. Tyreese was bigger, but Daryl was faster and he had caught the other man by surprise. He probably would have knocked the man unconscious, if a lone walker hadn't stumbled to where they fought.

Luckily, it had been the only one and it hadn't heard them until now. Daryl knifed it through the head, grabbed the bag of supplies and walked quickly to the truck. Tyreese followed a couple minutes later, his own bag slung over his shoulder and face covered in the blood from his nose and split eyebrow.

Daryl wasn't sorry for what he did. Rick should have known to never put the two of them together, especially since the larger man still harbored a great amount of hate for the woman Daryl loved.

Tyreese didn't say anything as he climbed into the truck and the trip back to the prison was in complete silence.

* * *

Rick met them the moment Daryl parked the truck and hopped out. "How'd everything go?" He stopped in his tracks when he saw the condition Tyreese was in and cut his gaze back to Daryl. The ex sheriff was not happy and was about to open his mouth to speak, but the hunter shoved the bag of supplies into his hands.

"Don't you ever put me on a run with him again, you hear me? Knew it was a fuckin' bad idea from the start!" He pushed past Rick and began heading up to the cell block.

"Daryl!" Rick yelled after him. "Come back here, we need to talk about this!"

Daryl didn't even turn around to respond to the man and kept walking. He was done talking to him. He knew Rick would try to put him in his place for doing what he did to Tyreese, but he felt no remorse. All he wanted to do now was pack up his shit, grab his bike, go to Carol and stay with her. She was the only one who kept him sane and without seeing her everyday it was getting hard to keep some of his anger at bay.

"Shit, what happened?" Glenn asked the moment Daryl stepped in cell block C. He had been sitting on the steps leading to the second floor with Maggie, but when he saw Daryl's bloody knuckles he was immediately on his feet and walking towards him.

"What do you think happened?" Daryl growled and moved past the younger man.

"Did he say something about...?" Glenn didn't have to say her name for Daryl to understand who he was talking about.

"Yeah." He didn't even turn around and continued to walk up the steps and past Maggie, who remained silent.

"Well, then, he deserved it."

Daryl let himself smile at the Korean's words and headed straight to his cell.


	8. Chapter Eight

**Chapter 8**

Beth rocked Judith gently in her thin, pale arms and looked over at her sister's boyfriend, who had just stepped into the doorway of her cell. It was late, neither Maggie nor Glenn had watch, so for him to be there it meant that they had another fight. "Things not good with Maggie again?"

Glenn sighed and crossed the room to sit on the bed. "She kicked me out." His head fell to his hands. The past few months had seen a strain on their relationship. They still cared and loved each other deeply, but they seemed to get into more and more arguments. Beth said that it was because he had finally grown a backbone and stood up to Maggie more often, now. He didn't want to admit out loud that she was...right.

It had all started when they all had found out Carol had been banished from the prison and Glenn had learned that Maggie had agreed with Rick. Had told their 'leader' that he had done what he should have.

Carol had been with him since the beginning. The quarry, the CDC, the farm. He couldn't just turn his back on her after everything they had been through and it blew his mind that Maggie had been so quick to do it.

"What did you do this time?" Beth asked with a smile. This wasn't the first time he had been kicked out and every time he was he came to her. Beth was the only one beside him, the Samuels girls and Daryl who seemed to miss Carol.

"She got mad at me because I agreed with Daryl kicking the shit out of Tyreese on his run earlier."

Beth was about to say something, but looked down to the bundle in her arms and saw that the baby was sound asleep. "Let me put Judith back in her crib and then we can talk. My arms were getting tired, anyway."

"All right, I'll wait." Glenn smiled. The past few months had also seen the two of them getting closer. Before the sickness struck the prison, they had been close, she was Maggie's sister after all, but they had never had many lengthy conversations. Glenn was ashamed to say that he had still thought of Beth as a little kid, but at eighteen years old and going through an apocalypse, she'd had started to grow into a mature young woman.

"I'm back." Beth breezed into the room and pulled a stool from the corner to set it in front of Glenn and sat on it. "So, tell me everything."

Glenn ran a hand through his hair. "It's basically the same argument over and over. They always revolve around-"

"Carol," Beth interjected.

Glenn nodded and continued. "Yeah. She seems to think that if I had been in the place of Karen or David, then she would have killed me. That she would have shoved a knife through my skull and burned my body."

Beth gasped. "She wouldn't! I know Karen and David were a part of our group, but you're her family. Someone she cared deeply about."

"I know." Glenn sighed. "No matter what I say, I just can't convince her." He looked up at his friend and future sister-in-law. "We don't even know if Karen and David asked to be killed. I saw people while I was in quarantine and they suffered. I suffered. What if the pain was so unbearable that they couldn't stand it and asked her to kill them?"

"I don't know." Beth looked down.

"That's just it!" Glenn shot to his feet. "We  _don't_ know! Carol was never able to tell her side of the story! She was cast out and treated like a heartless murderer. When Rick killed Shane he told us his story and we were all expected to be okay with it. He never gave Carol that chance." He collapsed on the bed, seemingly exhausted.

"It isn't fair." Beth's voice was hard. "Rick didn't do anything around here for  _months_. We had a council that made decisions, but he still took Carol out on that run and left her out there. He deserved every punch Daryl threw at him that day."

"I agree. Now, everyone believes she's a murderer who wouldn't hesitate to kill anyone of them, so she can't come back now. Rick should have kept his mouth shut, should have talked with all of us before deciding to butcher Carol's name. She did  _everything_  around here and now, no one gives a shit about her."

"I just can't imagine what Daryl is going through right now. He  _loved_  her."

"That's just it!" Glenn looked up at her. "He seems fine. Well, sort of. I thought he'd be, you know, angrier about Carol being gone. The thing with Tyreese, well, that's been the angriest I've seen him in a long time."

"I think there's something up with him," Beth said. "Something he isn't telling anyone."

"I think so, too." Glenn agreed and stood up from the bed. "And I'm going to find out."

Beth followed suit and walked with him to the doorway of her cell. "How are you going to do that?"

Glenn smiled. A hint of his former self, the Glenn of the quarry, showed through that smile. "I can be an annoying son of a bitch and I plan on bugging Daryl until he tells me something."

Beth shoved him out of the cell with a laugh. "Good luck with that. Just don't come crying to me when he beats the crap out of you."

* * *

Glenn snuck back to his cell late that night and found Maggie asleep in their bed. All he wanted to do is get his pillow and find another empty cell to sleep in. There was no doubt that Maggie wouldn't allow him in their bed right now.

"So, I kick you out and you run to my sister?" Maggie's voice startled him and he nearly dropped the change of clothes he had managed to grab.

"I can't talk to her now?" Glenn snapped.

"You've been talkin' to her a lot, lately." Maggie sat up and glared at him.

"So, she's family and we haven't been able to have a civil conversation in awhile. I wanted to talk to have a calm talk with someone."

"Why Beth? There's Rick, Tyreese and even my  _father._ " She crossed her arms angrily over her chest.

Glenn finally understood why she was making a big deal about this. "Do you really think that me and...Beth? Wow. Sorry, but no." He took a seat next to her. "I love you, Maggie. It's just things have been strained between us lately and she's the only I like to talk to nowadays."

"It's not my fault." Maggie huffed. "I just don't understand why you have to make a big deal about-"

"Carol?" Glenn interrupted. "She's family. Still is wherever she may be."

"She killed two people, Glenn!"

"And she should have gotten a trial or something. You can't tell me what Rick did was right. He took her and left her out there by herself. No one can survive on their own anymore! He basically handed her a death sentence."

Maggie rubbed pressed her fingers into her temples. Tears glistened in her eyes, but she wouldn't allow them to fall. "Can we not talk about this anymore, Glenn? Please. Can we just stop talking about this forever? I hate fighting with you."

Glenn stood a moment, a war clearly going on in his head. "I'm sorry, Maggie, but I won't stop talking about it until you see that what Rick did to Carol was wrong." Then, without another look, he walked out of their cell.

* * *

Glenn had just finished his breakfast and was about to walk into the commons room of his cell block when he heard the gruff voice of Daryl coming from inside.

"Goin' on another hunt. Be back before sunset."

Glenn peeked around the corner and saw Rick and Daryl standing in the middle of the room. Daryl had his crossbow on his back and a face that challenged Rick to forbid him to go.

"Fine," Rick said, but Glenn could tell that he was reluctant about it. "Nothing is going on around here and I suppose we could spare you."

Daryl just grunted and walked away. Rick watched him go and ran a hand down his face. He looked tired and stressed out.

"Hey, Rick." Glenn walked in and gave the older man a smile. "Got a question for you."

Rick straightened up. "What is it?"

"Uh, I was just wondering if I could take the Hyundai and head outside the prison for a bit. Maggie and I just had a real big fight and I wanted to get her some flowers to apologize. Maybe even go into the nearest town and find some chocolates."

Rick nodded. "Maggie did seem upset this morning. All right, you can go. Do you need anyone to go with you?"

"Naw," Glenn shook his head. "I'll be fine. If the town seems too dangerous, I'll hightail it back here. I should be back in a few hours."

"All right. Be safe."

* * *

It wasn't hard to follow Daryl. The sound of the motorcycle drowned out the sound of his engine and he stayed so far that the bike was only a speck. Suddenly, he veered off the road and Glenn stopped the car to do the same. Daryl was still far ahead and probably couldn't see him. He made sure to park the car within the trees, reached into the back seat and grabbed his rifle. A knife was already strapped to his hip and one in his boot. Then, with a look around he was off and running to where he saw Daryl park.

The tricky part was following him and not being found out. Daryl was the tracker, not him, and if he lost sight of Daryl, then he lost him completely. There had he even been few times where Daryl stopped walking and looked around. Glenn took that moment to hide behind a tree or duck behind a bush.

It was a miracle he hadn't been found out.

When a cabin came into view, Glenn took permanent residence behind a thick tree and watched as Daryl approached it. The hunter knocked a few times, the door opened and he stepped inside. Not once, could Glenn see who had opened the door. So, now all he had to do was wait.

* * *

A few hours later, Glenn sat dozing off on the trunk of the tree. His rifle laid in his lap, in easy access in case a walker decided to surprise him. When he heard the sound of a door shut, he froze. Peeking around the tree, he watched Daryl take one last look at the cabin and head back in the direction he came. Glenn quickly went back out of sight, but not before he saw a small smile on the hunter's face. Whoever was in that cabin had made the man happy.

Glenn waited until Daryl was way past him and out of sight before he stood up and walked to the cabin. It was growing darker and a light shone through one of the windows, cementing the fact that someone was living there.

He slung the rifle over his back so that whoever was in there saw that he came in peace and with a deep breath he held up his hand and knocked loudly on the door.

"Back already, Daryl," he heard a feminine voice say before the door swung open. The woman holding the door froze. "Glenn?"

The Korean's eyes widened in surprise. He thought he was never going to see this woman again. "Carol?"


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Carol had thought Daryl had decided to come back to spend the night when the door to her cabin knocked again. Never in a million years, though, did she expect to find Glenn on the other side of the door.

They stood and looked at each other for several seconds before they spoke at the same time. Carol had recovered first and wrapped the young man in her arms, tears falling from her face. She never thought she'd see anyone from the prison ever again.

Glenn stepped back with a grip still on her shoulders and a goofy grin on his face. "I knew Daryl was up to something... and that something was you. So, have you two..."

Carol's face burned a bright red and Glenn got his answer.

"Finally!" He cried and hugged her again. "It's about time you two got together."

"Yeah, I know," she smiled and moved aside. "Why don't you come in and have a seat? I'll make you a cup of coffee."

Glenn moved and sat in one of the chairs by the fire, while Carol used a towel to grab a bucket of water from the flaming embers. It took him a few seconds to realize that he wasn't able to sit still, so he stood up from his chair and followed Carol to the kitchen.

"So, how long has Daryl been coming here?" He asked and leaned against the counter to watch Carol spoon a few teaspoons of instant coffee in two mugs. Fresh brewed coffee was a rarity now.

"He found me about four months ago and brought me here."

Glenn nodded. "That explains his sudden mood change."

Carol paused in the stirring of her steaming cup of coffee, looking confused. "Mood change?" Carol knew Daryl's moods. More often than not, he looked unhappy about something, but that was just how he was.

"Yeah, for a month after he found out Rick banished you, he was always angry. Lashed out at everyone, especially Rick," he shrugged. "Not that I blame him for that. Rick deserved what Daryl did to him."

Carol's arm fell limp to her side. "What did he do?"

"Beat the shit out of him. Tyreese and Bob had to pull Daryl off." Carol gasped, but Glenn kept going. "He deserved it, Carol, for what he did and you know it."

Carol took her cup and took a seat at one of the chairs in the kitchen. She looked tired. "Glenn, I killed Karen and David. Rick did what he thou-"

"No!" Glenn nearly shouted and Carol jumped at the emotion behind that one word. "You can't think that what he did was even close to right. He should have brought you back and let the council handle it. He wasn't the leader and you should have been able to explain yourself."

"Explain myself?" Carol looked at him confused, a finger trailing around the edge of her coffee cup.

"You didn't just kill them because you wanted to, Carol. Despite what Rick told us, you're not cold. So, tell me, what happened. Please." Glenn pleaded with his friend. He needed to know.

Carol looked to the side; the cabinets seemed to gain her interest. "Not even Daryl has asked me about it."

"I think it's because he doesn't want you get upset when you bring it up, but I want to know. I need to know, Carol. Maggie and I constantly get into fights about this and if she were to know the  _real_  reason why you killed them, then she'd understand."

Tears filled Carol's eyes. "Maggie?" The young woman had been like a younger sister to her while they had been on the road those eight months. Besides Beth, Carol was the only person she went to hash out frustrations with or to just have a chat about nothing or about their lives before everything had gone bad. To think that Maggie had turned her back on Carol caused her heart to break all over again. She had thought she'd been prepared for everyone to hate her, but to hear Glenn confirm it, showed that she wasn't prepared. Not at all.

Glenn reached over and squeezed her hand. "I'm sorry, Carol. I've tried talking to her, but you know how she is. Stubborn."

"It's all right," she tried to smile but it came off more as a grimace. "Does anyone else feel... that way about me?" She had to know and she doubted Daryl would ever tell her.

"Tyreese," Glenn said automatically. "Rick and Carl, but I only think Carl feels that way because of his dad. I don't talk to Michonne much and Hershel hasn't said much about it either."

"Beth?"

"Misses you like hell." He grinned largely and Carol was suddenly reminded of the young man back in the quarry. Awkward, but always so optimistic. This life had changed him, just like it had changed everyone else.

"I miss her, too. I miss all of you." She focused down at her hands. "But I can never go back there."

"Carol-" Glenn started.

"They begged me," she changed subjects quickly, but he knew what she was talking about. "They were suffering. David was choking on his own saw my knife and  _begged_ me to kill him." She sniffled, but kept the tears back. "Karen lasted a little longer than David, but she was soon begging me, too. I had gone in there to check up on them. If they had been too far gone, I would have killed them. Even if they hadn't asked."

Glenn leaned back in his chair and looked at the woman in front of him. She had come a long way from the quarry. She was stronger. She wasn't cold, despite what Rick thought. This woman would do anything for her family at the prison. She had killed Karen and David to ease their pain.

"You need to come back, Carol," he finally said. "Explain yourself and they'll all understand. I know it!"

Carol shook her head. "I can't."

"But you're miserable here," he argued.

"No, I'm not. I have Daryl and now, you can come and visit me, too." She tried to give him a reassuring smile, but there wasn't anything reassuring about it.

Glenn knew that he could continue to beg her to come back, but she wouldn't. She had set her mind long ago. The only person who could convince her would be Daryl and he bet that he had tried multiple times and got the same result as Glenn. So, he stood up and glanced out the kitchen window, noticing that it was almost completely dark. "Well, I should probably head back before they get worried." He walked over and wrapped Carol up in his arms. "It was so good to see you, Carol."

Carol walked with him to the door. "It was good to see you, too, Glenn."

"Don't worry," he turned to look at her one last time before leaving. "This won't be the last time you see me." And with a wink, he was walking away from the cabin.

* * *

Glenn didn't waste anytime once he returned to the prison. Dropping off some flowers he had found on his trek back to the car in the cell he shared with Maggie, he made his way to Daryl's cell. Rick had said that the hunter had gone to bed right after supper, but the Glenn saw a light shining underneath the curtain of his cell and knew the man wasn't sleeping.

Not thinking about the consequences, Glenn threw open the curtain of the cell. "Daryl Dixon, you have some explaining to do."


	10. Chapter Ten

**Chapter 10**

Daryl didn't like it when his privacy was invaded and he especially didn't like it when it was a certain Korean who did the invading.

"Daryl Dixon, you have some explaining to do." Glenn stood in the doorway to his cell, arms crossed over his chest and a determined look in his eye.

"The hell you want, Short Round?" He growled.

Without answering the hunter, Glenn grabbed the stool from the corner and sat in it. "I followed you today."

Daryl sat up more in his bed, eyes squinting. "What? You turnin' into some sort of stalker now?"

Glenn gave him a shit-eating grin and looked smugly down at his friend. "You've been acting strange lately, so I heard you telling Rick you were going hunting,  _again_ , and I decided I'd go on a little run myself."

A look of shock passed over Daryl's face, but it only lasted a few seconds before his face went back to its indifferent mask. Glenn noticed the look and continued on with satisfaction.

"I watched you walk into a little cabin in the woods."

Daryl placed his head in his hands with a muffled, "Shit."

"How come you didn't tell me you knew where Carol was? Especially since I've been giving you hell about it?" The playfulness was gone from his posture and he turned serious.

Daryl remained silent from his spot over on the bed. Glenn needed answers, though, and knew he had to risk the man's anger.

"Daryl, come on. Tell me."

"It was supposed to be a fuckin' secret!" He nearly exploded. "That way no one would go after her, especially Rick or Tyreese."

"But there are people like me and Beth who want to know where she is because we miss her, Daryl. We wouldn't have told Rick."

Daryl shrugged. "Couldn't risk it. Besides, it's bad enough that I go out all the time to see her. Rick ain't stupid. If more people keep askin' to go out, then it wouldn't take him long to figure somethin' else was up."

Glenn leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. "Well, at least I know she's safe, so as long as you keep me posted, then I won't ask Rick to go out."

"Naw, I can't ask you to do that. She's your friend, too." He smirked. "'Sides, I bet she's tired of jus' seein' my ugly mug all the time."

Glenn sorted. "I doubt that." For the first time, he watched Daryl Dixon blush. If only he had his camera...

"So, what did you two talk about?" He seemed more relaxed and Glenn watched the tension leave Daryl's shoulders. He had to wonder what keeping Carol's secret had done to the man.

"We didn't talk much, since it was late and I had to get back soon.  _Someone_  was taking too long in the cabin and I had to wait for you to leave before I could talk to her."

If possible, Daryl's face grew even redder. It was no secret on what had gone on in that little house before Daryl had left.

Glenn grew serious again. "We talked about Karen and David."

"What?" Daryl nearly snarled. "Why would you ask about that?"

"Because I needed to know!" Glenn stood up and began to pace. "Are you telling me, Daryl, that the whole time you've been with Carol, you've never asked about Karen and David?" When Daryl avoided his eyes, Glenn had his answer. This made him even more angry.

"How could you not ask her? You'd think that would be the first thing out of your mouth. I thought you'd want to know her side of the story!"

Daryl shot to his feet and pointed a finger to the door. "Get out," he hissed.

The younger man stood his ground. Daryl wasn't going to run from this. Glenn didn't know if Carol would ever broach the subject with him, but he needed answers.

"I said, get out!" Daryl shoved him hard and he stumbled over the stool behind him and nearly fell on his ass.

Suddenly Rick was in the doorway, shouting. "What the hell is going on here?" He stood in his cop stance, hand hovering over the gun at his hip.

"Nothing," the hunter turned his back on both men and sounded defeated. "Jus' get him out of here and leave me be."

Rick glared at his friends back before he grabbed Glenn by the arm and led him away from the cell. Once they were far enough away, Rick stopped and held Glenn in place, insuring that the man would listen to him.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on?"

Glenn shook his head and refused to look the ex-sheriff in the eyes. "It's nothing, Rick. Really. I just may have teased Daryl a little too much."

Rick didn't buy it and stepped closer, eyes narrowed. "There's something you're not telling me."

Glenn's mouth set in a hard line and he shoved Rick away. "I don't have to tell you  _shit_ , Rick." Then, without another word, he walked away.

Rick watched him leave and ran a hand through his hair. He couldn't help but feel like he was losing control and his two closest friends were starting to turn their backs on him.

* * *

Glenn flung the curtain to his cell open and didn't realize Maggie was already in bed sleeping until she flicked the battery-powered lantern by the bed and looked at him blurredly.

"Where have you been all day?" She asked, sleepily.

"Out. Didn't you see the flowers?" He stripped the shirt he was wearing and put on the one he usually slept in.

"Out?" She was sitting up, then. "Do you mean out on a run?"

Shucking his jeans, he moved to slide up his pajama pants. "Yep." The anger from his conversation with Daryl was still there and he didn't even care that he was being short with her. Today had been a long day and while it had started off good, it had ended shitty.

"You went on a run without telling me?" Maggie's voice rose in anger. "Did you go with anyone?"

"No, I went by myself and I was fine." Suddenly he was being spun around and faced with a livid Maggie Greene.

"No, it  _is_  not fine. Not only did you not tell me you were leaving the prison but you went by  _yourself_! I can't believe how stupid you were!"

"Stop!" Glenn shouted, tired of everyone yelling at him. "I don't have to tell you  _everything_ , Maggie and stop treating me like I'm some child. Now, I've had a rough night and the last thing I need right now is for you to yell at me." He bent down and gathered up all his discarded clothing. "If you need me, I'm going to be in the cell a few doors down."

Walking away from the cell, he finally started to cool down. He knew he shouldn't have yelled at Maggie like that, but with everything else that had happened in the last hour, he couldn't help it. And it wasn't like some of the things he had said weren't true. Maggie often treated him like he couldn't even tie his own shoes, sometimes. She needed to realize that he was his own man, just like she was her own woman.

Tomorrow, she would be super pissed and he'd have to find some way to apologize  _really_ well, but tonight he was going to be sleeping alone and try to push the events of today past him for now.


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Chapter 11**

Daryl paced angrily in his cell. Fuckin' Short Round and his stupid fuckin' questions! It wasn't any of his business what him and Carol did and didn't talk about. He sure as hell didn't go poking around in his and Maggie's conversations!

Turning towards the stool in the middle of his cell, he kicked it over with an anger he hadn't felt since the quarry. The metal crashed into the opposite wall, but he didn't care about the noise it made. He didn't care much for anything at the moment.

Not Glenn. Not Rick or anyone else at the fuckin' prison.

The only thing he cared about what was sleeping alone in a tiny cabin a mile away.

Maybe he should just pack up all his shit and move in with her. It would eliminate Glenn always being up his ass and Rick constantly on his case. He didn't want to think about it, but the former sheriff was looking at him the same way he did back in the quarry. Back when he'd just been a stereotypical hotheaded redneck.

Mistrust. Uncertainty.

The man didn't know when would the next time Daryl would go off or who he would next go off on. He pushed Rick to the back of his mind as he continued to pace. There was no way he would be getting to sleep anytime soon and the rational part of his brain, the part that was almost being drowned out, told him that he needed to think about what Glenn had said. About why he'd never asked Carol about Karen and David.

With a defeated sigh, he sat back down on his bunk and out his head in his hands. He was scared, that was all there was to it. Daryl Dixon was scared of what Carol would tell him.

Rick had said she'd gone cold. Hadn't been sorry for the two lives she had viciously taken away. The man even had the balls to bring up Sophia, saying that Carol wouldn't even say her name anymore. Well, he never said Merle's name. Not a day went by where he didn't think of his brother, but he'd be damned if he ever uttered his name aloud.

The night after he had to put Merle down, Carol had come to his cell. Not one word was spoken as she sat on the foot of his bed. The scene almost mirrored the one so long ago at the farm. Carol didn't push him to talk, but he found out that after several minutes of silence with her, he couldn't bare to keep it all inside him anymore. He broke down and told her  _everything._

After that night, he didn't find the need to talk about Merle anymore. He had told the one person he cared about most in the world and that had been enough.

So, did that make him cold as well? Heartless? Unstable enough to be banished?

He grabbed the closest thing to him, which was his pillow, and whipped it across the room. It made considerable less noise as it collided with the concrete wall and slid down it to lie beside the stool.

Rick wanted to act like things were okay between them now, but after the events of the last few days, he was sure he was beginning to think otherwise. Beating up Tyreese, shouting at Glenn. Rick wasn't stupid and he would most likely figure out what, or who, was the cause of his sudden change in demeanor. Daryl knew that it would be a matter of time before Rick brought up the subject of Carol.

He had just better hope that Daryl would be in a better mood.

* * *

Rick Grimes surveyed the prison yard from his perch on top of the watchtower. With the Governor threat eliminated, keeping watch wasn't as important, but he'd make his way up the staircase and keep a lookout from time to time. One could never be too careful and with a growing community now under his leadership, it was responsibility they all remained safe.

It had been a little over a week since he had to get Glenn away from Daryl's cell. The hunter kept to himself, now, and avoided everyone. The only people he had seen him communicate with were the two little girls he ate breakfast with.

Rick had thought things were going well, for a while. After Daryl's relentless search for Carol the month after her banishment, he started to stick around more. There wasn't anymore hostile stares thrown in his direction and he thought, maybe, Daryl had finally forgiven him for what he'd done.

Turned out, he hadn't'. Fighting Tyreese really hadn't come as a surprise, he just thought Daryl was past the point of fighting anyone, but yelling and shoving Glenn, one of his closest friends, now that had been surprising. In the days before the Woodbury citizens, Rick had known just about everything that went on in his group of survivors, but now, he felt like he didn't know anything.

Glenn and Maggie seemed to be on not talking terms,  _again_. The morning after the outburst with Daryl, Maggie had approached Glenn with a blue vase full of wildflowers and...dumped them all over his head before storming away. He hadn't seen Maggie that angry in a long time and never that angry with Glenn.

He had approached Hershel about it, but the old man didn't have a clue either and if Beth knew anything, she wasn't talking about it. Beth was another story. He had seen the timid girl shoot him dirty looks from time to time. Was anyone going to let what he did go? He had done it for the group. Carol was a threat. She was cold...

His eyes went unwillingly towards his son, Carl, who was standing near one of the fences. A gun strapped to his hip and Rick's old hat on his head. Those few months before the outbreak, he had thought he had gotten his son back, but after the Governor attacked, it was as if those months of farming hadn't even happened. Now, he spent more time watching the walkers by the fence than interacting with other people. Following Beth around had also stopped and Rick knew the massive crush his son use to have on her.

The sound of a motorcycle engine took his focus from his son and over to the gate. Daryl was going on another overnight hunt. He hadn't even told Daryl that they had enough meat drying in the stores to last them a couple more days because he knew that this hunt would allow him to calm down some.

"You know, you're driving him away."

Rick startled and turned around to find Michonne leaning on the wall with arms crossed over her chest. The woman could be as silent as Daryl when she wanted to be.

"You should have never kicked his woman out."

He and Michonne had a unique friendship. Rick use to think that there had been something between them, especially when she would go on her hunts for the Governor and bring back things for him and Carl, but now, he wasn't so sure. She mostly kept to herself since the attack on the prison and was always a silent presence when something needed to be done.

"You and I both now, we have done things just as bad as Carol, if not worse." She pushed herself off the wall and walked closer to him. "That man whose house we invaded, that hitchhiker."

"The man in the house would have gotten us killed," Rick argued.

"What about the hitchhiker? All he wanted was help and we drove right past him."

"He could have been a killer. We didn't know what would have happened if we brought him back here."

"How much do you know about me, Rick? Do you know the things I did before I met Andrea, before I came here? I could have been some maniac killer before everything and you just let me in here. I could be bidding my time, right now, until I get the perfect chance to slaughter you all."

Rick looked at her hard. "But that ain't you."

"How do you know?" Michonne pressed.

He sighed and turned back out to the yard. "Why are you talking about this?"

"Because what you did to Carol was wrong. I'm not saying what she did was right, but to make the type of decision you did was wrong and look at what it's costing you. Your best friend is constantly out of the prison, starting fights and can barely stand to talk to you anymore."

The former sheriff turned back to the warrior woman. "Carol's gone cold. She would have killed anyone of us if we had been in the position Karen and David were in."

Michonne placed a hand on her hip. "How do you know? Did you ask her? Did you even allow her the chance to explain everything? Or did you go on that run  _knowing_  beforehand that Carol would not be coming back with you?"

Rick remained silent.

"What if the situation was flipped? What if Daryl took Lori out on a run and left her out there?"

"What does Lori have to do with anything?" He snapped. The subject of his late wife was still a sore one.

"Because that man loves Carol just like you  _loved_  Lori. Imagine how he felt when he came back here and found out she was gone. That  _you_ , his best friend, had left her out there by herself." Michonne let the words sink in a little bit, before she turned and left just as silently as she came.

* * *

There was an unknown truck parked behind the cabin and the moment he saw it, he was running the rest of the way. He didn't knock and burst through the door, shouting Carol's with his bow raised and ready to shoot.

Carol ran out from her room in just a pair of pants and her bra. A shirt was clutched tightly in her hand and her face was flushed.

Daryl's eyes narrowed, taking in her appearance and the fact there was an unknown vehicle parked outside. "Who the hell is here with you?"

"No one!" She said and slipped the shirt over her head.

"Then whose truck is that out front?" He never lowered the bow and started to take a sweep of the rest of the cabin.

"It's mine." She brushed past him and walked into the kitchen. "I was running low on supplies the other day, so I decided to take a trip down the road a bit and I found it."

"By yourself?" Daryl set his bow on the kitchen table and moved to stand by her as she searched through the cupboards.

"Do you see anyone here that could have gone with me?"

"I don't like you goin' off by yourself." He leaned against the counter and chewed on his thumbnail.

Carol stopped in her search and looked over at him. "I was fine and I only came across two walkers. I needed food, Daryl, and I couldn't just sit around and wait for you. I never know when you'll come."

Daryl looked down, ashamed. "'m sorry. Things have been a little crazy this week."

Carol stepped close to him. "You don't have to be sorry, Daryl. I understand. You never know when you'll be able to get away and that's okay. I'm just glad you come here, at all." She gave him a bright smile. "Now, I have a surprise for you. Be right back."

Daryl remained standing in the kitchen and watched as Carol made her way back to her bedroom. She returned a few minutes later with something clutched behind her back.

"What is it?" He straightened up and looked at her curiously.

With a goofy smile, she held up a pair of what looked like...swim trunks? They were pale blue and had little...ducks on them. He looked at them, then went right back to her face.

"Hell no."

* * *

"Can't believe I'm fuckin' doin' this," Daryl grumbled as Carol led him by the arm. She had come across a small river not far from the cabin and on her earlier run had found swimsuits for them both.

"It'll be fun, Daryl. Quit your whining!"

"Says the one who doesn't have to wear ducks on their damn swimsuit!" The idea of swimming hadn't been the thing that revolted him, he had always enjoyed the exercise, it was wearing the swim trunks Carol had found for him. He would have been perfectly fine wearing the clothes already on his back, but Carol had somehow gotten him to wear the damn things.

"You don't know what I have on my swimsuit." She smiled.

"Hope you ain't wearin' one," he mumbled but Carol had heard and slapped him playfully on the arm.

"Sorry, Pookie," she teased. "I'm all covered up under here."

"Damn."

It wasn't long until they reached the river and Carol began to shed her clothes. Daryl had anticipated her wearing some kind of skimpy bikini, but was disappointed when he found that she wasn't wearing one. The top fit to her breasts like a bra, but flared down and covered her midsection, while the bottoms were regular bikini bottoms.

"Disappointed?" She asked after all the extra articles of clothing were shed.

"Hell, yeah." He wrapped an arm around her bicep and pulled her close. "Thought I'd see more skin."

"Maybe later." She winked and pulled away from him. "Now, let's go swimming."

Daryl waited until she had her back to him and then, with his tracker's stealth, he walked up behind her and picked her up bridal style.

She struggled only slightly before she found herself flying through the air and landing in the water with a splash. She broke the surface and spat out a mouth full of water. Daryl stood up to his knees in water and was laughing so hard he was bent over.

Carol watched him for a moment, never really seeing this side of him. Daryl laughed and joked with her, often, but she had never seen him let go like that. Maybe taking him swimming had been a good idea.

She swam closer to him and since he was still laughing he didn't notice when she reached for one of his legs with both hands and yanked hard. Daryl went down with a surprised yelp and a loud splash. Carol made sure she was a little ways off when he broke the surface and when he did, she couldn't help but laugh.

His bangs completely covered his eyes and he had to separate them like a curtain so he could see.

"Looks like someone needs a haircut!" She called over to him. He immediately zoned in on her and with a smirk, he dove under the water and began swimming in her direction.

She was in trouble.

* * *

Several hours later, the dripping wet couple made their way out of the water and back to Carol's home. Carol had never had so much fun in her life. Swimming with Daryl had made her feel young again and she could almost forget about the walkers and the end of the world.

Almost.

"We should do that again," she said as they collected their clothes from the bank.

Daryl shook his hair out, like a dog, before looking at her. "'Course. On one condition, though."

"What?"

"You lose the suit." Before she could comprehend what he was doing, the knot behind her neck was being undone and the top half of her suit flopped forward.

"Much better," he smirked and enjoyed the view.

Carol made a scandalized sound and quickly moved to cover herself up. Daryl was off and running before she could get him back.

"Daryl Dixon," she cried. "You get your ass back here!"

* * *

That night, they sat together on a large blanket in front of the fire. Daryl laid on his back, his head pillowed on Carol's thigh and listened as she told stories about her life before the turn. One of her hands was mindlessly running through his long locks, but he didn't mind. The action was soothing and he found himself closing his eyes on several occasions. However, he couldn't fall asleep. Not yet.

When Carol stopped talking, he took the opportunity to lift his head and turn so that he wasn't looking at her upside down. Reaching for her hand, he loosely held it in one of his. Carol watched him, the glowing orange of the fire reflected in her eyes.

"Carol," he started. "I have to ask you somethin'. Somethin' I should have asked when I first found you."

"What?" A line of confusion appeared between her eyes as she furrowed her brow.

"It's about Karen and David." He felt her tense, but kept going. "I need to hear your side of the story, darlin'." He sat up more and cupped her chin gently, hating how it started to quiver slightly. "I want you to tell me everythin'."


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Chapter 12**

The silence was deafening while Daryl waited for Carol to speak. In his head, he was cursing himself for bringing the subject up since it seemed to bother Carol greatly, but like Glenn had said, he needed to know what happened and he needed to know it from  _her._

Carol sat with knees drawn up to her chin and watched the fire as it flickered and popped. Tears shimmered in her eyes, but they didn't fall. As the silence stretched, Daryl moved to sit next to her and was about to take everything back. Maybe he could ask at another time...or never.

"They asked to be killed, Daryl." Carol finally spoke, voice hoarse. "They  _begged_  me." A tear escaped the confined of her lid and she quickly wiped it away. "I went down there to check up on them. If they were suffering badly, I would have killed them even if they hadn't asked. Hershel told me how Patrick went, choking on his own blood and I didn't want them to suffer like that."

Daryl remained silent and watched the woman he loved speak. It was hard for her, he could tell, but she kept going.

"Karen was a friend, Daryl." Carol finally looked over at him, blue eyes swimming. "I went down there knowing she was going to die and that I would be the one to end her life. It took twenty-four hours for the virus to kill Patrick and I knew she was getting close to the end."

Daryl never once had thought horribly of Carol, not even after what Rick told him. Carol would never kill anyone just for the sake of killing them. That wasn't the kind of person she was, even if she had changed drastically since the quarry. Carol was kind, compassionate and cared for her loved one to a fault. The fault being that she would die for anyone of them and he understood that, because he was the exact same way.

"I thought of Tyreese right before I plunged the knife into her head and knew how torn up he'd be, but I still did it, anyways." Tears poured freely now and she hid her head in her arms.

Daryl wrapped an arm around her and pulled her body close. "She asked for it, sweetheart," he said softly. "You did her a kindness. If you told Tyreese that, he'd understand."

"I don't want to go back there, Daryl."

Daryl didn't want to argue with her right now, no matter how badly he wanted her back at the prison. Maybe he could do damage control. Maybe he'd be able to get Tyreese to understand why she had done it; maybe he could get everyone to understand. Beth and Glenn would help, he knew they would.

Everyone would see what Carol had done was an act of mercy and they'd want her back. He felt it. They'd all realize how much they missed her and beg him to bring her back.

When it looked like Carol wasn't going to speak more on the subject, he stood up and bent to pick her up, much like he'd done when he found her in the tombs.

"Where are we going?" Carol asked her voice weak from crying.

"To bed." He looked down and smiled. "I'm going to show you how much I love you."

* * *

Carol lay awake as Daryl snored softly at her side. It was getting late and she knew she should be sleeping, especially if Daryl planned to leave early, but her mind was still racing from the events of earlier.

Daryl had actually asked about Karen and David and he had understood why she had done it. For a brief second, she had thought he wouldn't, but this was Daryl she was talking about. Then, that night, he had been true to his word and had shown her how much he loved her. He had been so gentle, so loving. Tears sprang to her eyes as she thought about it. How had she gotten so lucky to have someone like Daryl?

What if that was what Tyreese had felt about Karen and she'd just snuffed out the woman's life before anything could have happened between them? What if David had someone that loved him? What if-

"Hey." The bed shifted and Daryl was gently cupping her cheek. "Stop thinkin', darlin', and get some sleep."

Knowing that Daryl had known what she had been thinking about brought another wave of tears and she started to cry softly. What had she done to deserve this?

Daryl wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to the warmth of his body. "Shh, Carol, it's all right. I'm here and I love you."

She fell asleep with him whispering gentle, sweet words into her ear.

* * *

Daryl never hated leaving Carol as much he did right now. The sun was high in the sky and he knew the chances of getting any good game were small, but he didn't care. He'd return back to the prison empty-handed and give Rick a big, old 'fuck you' if he said anything about it.

There was still a haunted look in Carol's eyes, but at least she had smiled at him that morning. When he got back to the prison, he was going to apologize to Glenn and together they would have a job to do. They were going to try to clear Carol's good name.

Being with him made her happy, he knew, but she could tell he missed everyone else back home. Especially the girls. With their father dead, Lizzie and Mika needed someone to look up to and guide them. Daryl had somewhat stepped into that role for now, but Carol would take over once she came back.

And she  _would_  come back. He'd make damn sure of that!

* * *

When he returned to the prison, it was growing dark and Michonne had been the one to open the gates for him. He sent a friendly nod her way and made his way up to the cellblock. Hopefully, he'd find Glenn hanging around somewhere, but if he wasn't, and then he would have no problem going to his cell and waking his ass up.

As it turned out, Glenn was sitting on the staircase in cellblock C, alone, which made his task easier.

"Hey, Glenn," he called from the doorway. "Can I talk to you?"

"Depends," the younger man snapped back. "Are you going to shove me again?"

Daryl ducked his head in shame. He'd been angry, but that had been no reason to shove his friend like that. Glenn could have been seriously injured and it would have been all his fault. "No," he finally said.

"Fine." Glenn stood up and walked up to the hunter. "What do you want?"

"Jus' wanted to say that I was sorry for, uh, pushin' and yellin' at you."

"You're forgiven." There was no hesitation and Glenn smiled when Daryl had looked at him in surprise. "I shouldn't have hounded you like that. I know that Carol is a sore subject and I understand."

Daryl ran a hand through his hair. "Still, I shouldn't have done it." He paused for a moment. "So, I talked to Carol about what you said I should. Told me everythin'."

"Good," Glenn smiled. "Now, all we have to do is form a plan."

"Plan?" He asked, confused.

"A plan to bring Carol back."

It was like the Korean had read his mind and Daryl couldn't hold back a smile. "When do we fuckin' start?"

 


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Chapter 13**

Beth Greene was  _pissed._

The night before, Rick had brought a fussing Judith to her cell, claiming that he couldn't do a thing to calm her. The six-month-old infant took one look at the young blonde woman and brightened. Since Carol's banishment, she had spent the most time with the baby. In one day, she had become the baby's primary and only, caregiver. Rick did his best, but being the leader now, meant less time for his youngest child. It hadn't taken long to calm the girl, but it caused Beth to go to bed later than she had wanted.

Then, the next morning, Julie, one of the former Woodbury citizens, had 'overslept' and left the youngest Greene girl to cook breakfast on her own. It hadn't helped her mood when she saw Julie, later in the day, wrapped around the reason why she had overslept. Chris, a goliath of a man with perfect blonde hair and blue eyes.

Running on little sleep and in an irritated mood, Beth had hoped to retire to her cell to rest a few hours before lunch, in which the cycle of cooking food would began again. But pulling back the curtain to her doorway, she was surprised to find Glenn sitting on the only chair in the room. Seeing her standing there, with her blonde hair frazzled around her head and dark smudges under her eyes, he gave her a sheepish grin.

"So, um, Beth," he started and stood up. "There's something I have to tell you."

From the way Glenn looked, Beth knew that she wasn't going to like what he was going to say.

Well, let's see." Glenn rubbed a hand behind his head and didn't look at her. "Where do I start?"

"At the beginning, so you can get it over with," Beth said, hoping that he would get that she wanted him out.

"Um, okay then." He took a deep breath, looked right at her and was instantly reminded of the day, which seemed so long ago, when he told the rest of his group that there were walkers in her daddy's barn. "Last week, I followed Daryl on a run and he led me to...Carol." The last part was said in a rush.

"What?" Beth screeched. Glenn had  _seen_ Carol, had known where she was for a week and  _hadn't_ told her.

"I know, I know." He held his hands in front of him and took a step back when it looked like Beth was going to hit him. "I should have told you sooner, but-"

"A week, Glenn?" She seethed. "You knew where she was for  _a week_  and you didn't think to tell me."

"Hey!" Glenn straightened. "Daryl's known for four months and he never said a word to anyone of us, even though we've been giving him crap."

"That's different!" Beth took another step closer. "He's in love with her and probably didn't want Rick, or anyone else, to know he was sneaking off to see her. But  _you,_ " she jabbed his chest hard with her forefinger. "Knew how much I missed her and yet, you decided to keep it to yourself for a week!"

Glenn rubbed the sore spot on his chest and winced. He would have expected something like this from Maggie, but not her sweet tempered younger sister! "Daryl would have killed me if I blabbed to you." Beth glared ferociously at him and he seemed to deflate. "But now you know and I need to, uh, leave." He tried to edge around her, but she blocked his path.

A soft rap outside the cell probably saved Glenn's life. Beth turned from him and pulled back the curtain to reveal Daryl standing there. Looking between the two, he smirked. "I take it you told her."

"Yeah!" Glenn cried. "And now, I'm trying to escape before she kills me!"

Daryl couldn't help but laugh and cross his arms over his chest. "I see you're scared shitless by  _both_  Greene girls.

Glenn was silent, but glared at the hunter. Beth hid a smile behind her hand while she silently agreed with Daryl in her head. Glenn had been getting better in standing up to Maggie, but he still had some work to do.

"So," Beth spoke up, looking between a glaring Glenn and smirking Daryl. "Is there a reason why both of you are in my cell?"

Glenn was the one to answer. "We have to discuss some things with you."

Looking behind her at Daryl, she asked. "Does this have something to do with Carol?"

Daryl nodded. "We're goin' to bring her back."

Beth smiled. "I'm in."

* * *

Lizzie knew that spying was wrong. Especially when you were spying on an adult conversation, but she had wanted to talk with Beth about helping out with Judith and had been surprised to see Daryl walk into the cell.

Anger spiked. Daryl was Carol's man! They were supposed to get married and take care of her and Mika as if they were all family. He wasn't supposed to be visiting  _Beth._  He should be looking for Carol out in the woods so he could finally admit that he loved her.

Clenching her fists hard, Lizzie quietly crept to the doorway of Beth's cell and listened to what was being said. If Daryl told Beth that he loved her instead of Carol, then she would...she would what? She didn't know what she'd do, but she would think of something.

Leaning closer to the curtain, she smiled when she could hear everything being said clearly.

"Four months, Daryl, really? You decided to keep it to yourself for four months?" It was unmistakable Beth who was talking. Her voice sounded just like a little girl's.

"Well, fuck!" The gruff voice spoke. Daryl. "I wasn't goin' to tell anyone, but then Short Round decided to follow me like some kind of freaky stalker."

Follow him where? Lizzie inched closer when it sounded like the conversation was going to get more interesting.

"So, where exactly  _is_  Carol?"Beth spoke again.

Lizzie gasped and quickly covered her mouth with a hand. Did they know where Carol was?

"Safe. I set her up in a cabin only a few miles from here."

Lizzie straightened up and grinned. Carol was only a few miles away and she was safe. Deciding not to listen to the rest of the conversation, she made a mad dash to her cell. She had to tell Mika!

* * *

"Tyreese and Rick ain't goin' to let Carol jus' waltz right back in here." Daryl leaned against the wall of Beth's cell.

"What should we do?" Glenn asked. "We can't sneak her in. Someone would find her eventually."

Daryl sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Maybe there is someway we could convince Rick and Tyreese that what Carol did wasn't out of coldness, but mercy."

Glenn snorted and Beth scrunched up her face. "How do we do that?" She asked. "Tyreese would probably try to beat you up again and Rick would most likely give you the 'I'm the leader and the decision I made was the right one' speech."

"We'll jus' have to convince them somehow. Carol deserves to come back to her family and I'll be damned if those two are the only ones stoppin' her." Daryl growled.

Glenn stood up from the bed. "Alright, but I don't think you should be the one to convince them, unless you want a fight. Beth and I could do it." He looked down at his future sister-in-law. "Right?"

Beth happily agreed. "I'll work on Rick since I take care of Judith all the time."

"You probably have the hardest job, girl." The hunter smirked.

She held up her chin in determination, showing she had come a long way from the emotional, weak, naive girl from the farm. "I can do it. Glenn's job won't be easy, either."

"Not to mention I also have Maggie to deal with," Glenn groaned.

Suddenly the curtain was ripped open and the trio jumped fearing the worst. Instead, they saw Michonne standing there, a hand propped on her hip and a smirk on her face. "You all should probably keep your voice down when discussing secret plans."

The three were still stunned. Luckily, it had only been the warrior woman to overhear them. What if it had been Rick or Tyreese?

"I heard everything," Michonne continued, the smirk turning into a smile. "And I'm going to help."

* * *

"Mika!" Lizzie cried happily while nearly collided with her sister who was coloring on the floor of their cell.

"What?" The younger girl snapped when the surprise visit from her sister caused her to draw a red slash across the picture she had been so meticulously coloring.

"Daryl's found Carol!" Lizzie hopped excitedly from foot to foot. She hadn't been this happy in a long time. Since before her father had been killed.

"What?" Mika scrambled to her feet in shock.

"Yeah, I heard Daryl talking to Beth about it. She's only a few miles from here, in some cabin." She grabbed her sister's hands and hopped up and down. "Let's go visit her."

Mike ripped her hands out of Lizzie's grip. The excitement from earlier was now gone. "By ourselves?"

Lizzie rolled her eyes and plopped on the bottom bunk. "You know Daryl won't take us to see her, so that means we have to go by ourselves. We both have the knives Carol gave us. We'll be fine."

Mika narrowed her eyes.

"Mika, Carol said I was weak. This way I can prove that I'm not!" Her eyes lit with a fearless determination.

"Lizzie, we could get killed."

"I have my knife and you have yours." The older girl said, again. "And we can sneak out the part of the fence where the walkers aren't." In the seconds it had taken her to rush from Beth's cell to hers, Lizzie had thought up the perfect plan. Nothing could go wrong with it and if Mika didn't want to go with her, then that was fine.

"I don't know..." Mika bit her lip and refused to look up from the floor. It was clear in her body language that she didn't want to go.

Lizzie was going to go. She wasn't weak and she  _would_  show Carol that.


	14. Chapter Fourteen

**Chapter 14**

A few days had passed since their impromptu meeting in Beth's cell and finally, things were starting to be put into motion. Michonne had approached Rick while he was on watch doing the night previous and asked to go on a run for more supplies. Their stores were running a little low on some things and Michonne, not one to just stick around doing nothing, had decided that she would lead it.

After readily agreeing, Rick had asked who she would want to join her. Michonne's answer: Tyreese and Glenn. Tyreese for his brute strength and Glenn for his quick feet, she explained, even though she hadn't really needed too. Daryl would have been another perfect candidate, but Rick had learned his lesson from the last time the hunter and large, black man had gone on a run together. He knew he could trust Michonne and Glenn to not beat the man to a pulp.

Leaving the watchtower, Michonne couldn't help smile smugly. Rick hadn't suspected a thing.

"So, is everything all set?" Glenn asked when she sauntered into Cell Block C, that smug grin still firmly on her face. It had been months since the Governor's death and she had been itching to do something exciting or at least somewhat challenging. And convincing Tyreese of Carol's good intentions for killing Karen and David? Definitely challenging.

Coming to a stop in front of the younger man, she cocked a hip. "What do you think? You think Rick would tell me no?" In was true, everyone in the prison had noticed the soft spot their leader had for a certain sword-wielding woman.

Glenn was one of those that was aware of this and shook his head as he smiled. "Well, when do we leave?"

"Tomorrow after breakfast."

"Do you have any idea how we're going to do this?" Glenn ran a hand through his hair. "I mean, we can't just drop the subject of Carol on him. He'd probably get mad. He'd probably go after me!" His voice grew steadily higher as his eyes grew wider. "I can't get even  _close_  to kicking his ass like Daryl!"

Michonne rolled her eyes and pointed to the ever present sword strapped to her back. "Katana, remember? I don't think he'll try anything if I have this."

"Oh man," Glenn didn't look to be pacified with Michonne's comment. Instead, he started to freak out more. "We're going to resort to threats? That should go over real  _well._ " Someone snuck up behind him and slapped him on his back. He turned to find a smirking Daryl.

"Come on, Glenn. Relax. Everythin' should go fine. Stop worryin' so damn much."

"I don't see you going on a run with a large, scary man," the Korean huffed.

"I did, remember? Kicked his large, scary ass, too." Daryl brushed past him and gave Michonne a friendly nod before heading towards the door.

"Why do you seem so happy? It's weird." Glenn noticed the pack slung across his back alongside his crossbow. There was only one person who made Daryl happy these days. Carol. "Oh, you're going to see Carol. That's nice," he smiled. Then, the smile vanished just as quickly as it appeared. "Hey! You're going to leave us to do all the work, aren't you?"

Daryl rolled his eyes and stepped away from the door. "Someone has to talk to Carol about the plan. Ain't goin' to do much good if we jus' showed up at her front door and say she can come back. I have to talk her into it. She ain't too keen on comin' back because she thinks everyone hates her."

"But we don't!" Glenn argued.

"Shit, I know that and since you decided to stalk me, I'm sure she knows that at least  _you_  don't hate her. Unfortunately, there are some assholes that won't let her back unless we make them understand why she did what she did." Daryl felt like he had never talked so much at once.

Glenn was about to say something when a bright flash of lightening and boom of thunder interrupted him. Rain began to pound on the roof of the prison. Daryl cursed. Rick would never let him go out now, Georgia storms could be dangerous, but if he was going to go out on the guise of hunting and there was no reason to with it storming.

Daryl cursed again when he thought about how he had to ask Rick fuckin' Grimes for permission to leave the damn prison, like he was his daddy or something. It angered him every time he had to approach the man and ask to leave. He hated the seconds of hesitation that seemed to get longer and longer each time he asked. Every time, though, he swallowed the anger down. He wanted the council back. Hated the fact that something Carol had worked so hard to organize had been torn down just seconds after her banishment.

Clenching his fists, Daryl willed himself to calm down, a technique he found himself having to do more often, now. He wouldn't go out, tonight. It would cause Rick to ask more questions than Daryl was willing to answer and plus, Rick had been a cop. It wouldn't take him long to figure out what he was up to him. Daryl didn't want him knowing that Carol was close until Beth got to him and made him understand what Carol had done had been acted out of mercy.

Daryl had faith in Beth, something he hadn't had in her several months ago while they were still on the run, since she had been always crying and shit. Now, she was stronger and he felt that Beth could get Rick to understand. If not, then he'd sit ol' Sheriff Grimes down and give him his own version of a talk. A version, which may or may not include his fists.

"Well, it looks like you won't be going anywhere, tonight," Michonne voiced his earlier thoughts. "This shit better stop before, tomorrow, though. I am  _not_ going on a run like this." She lifted up a boot-clad foot and wiggled it. "I just got new boots and I am not getting them muddy." Then, without so much as a goodbye, she left the two men and walked to her cell.

Another loud clap of thunder had Glenn jumping and Daryl looking out the window mournfully. He normally loved thunderstorms, but this one could go to hell. Especially when he needed to see Carol and what made things worse was that she  _hated_  storms. What was she doing now, all alone in her cabin with no one there to comfort her? With no one there to hold her in their arms and say it would be okay? With-

A hand landed on his shoulder and Daryl nearly jumped back from the touch before he realized that it was only Glenn. "She'll be fine, Daryl." He reassured, noticing the man's inner turmoil.

The old Daryl would have shrugged the hand off, said something hurtful and stalked off to his cell, but he wasn't the old Daryl, hadn't been for a long time. Instead of doing those things, he gave his friend a nod and mumbled, "Thanks."

* * *

Beth Greene had never been so embarrassed in all eighteen years of her life and there was no way to escape.

She had been gently rocking Judith in the cell the baby shared with her father, when the man himself walked in. The storm had come suddenly and he had been caught in the unexpected downpour. His dark hair lay flattened against his skull and his clothes suctioned to his body. There was already a sizeable puddle at his feet.

"Hey, Beth," he smiled, looking slightly surprised that she was there.

"Judith started crying when the thunder started," she had said in a way of explaining her presence. "I'm trying to rock her to sleep."

"Let me get out of these wet clothes and then, I'll take over for you."

"Okay." Beth suddenly felt  _very_  awkward. Was he going to change with her in here? Should she leave? Or should act like watching Rick strip down to nothing didn't bother her? She decided on just turning her back and tried to not wince every time another article of clothing  _plopped_  to the concrete floor.

What if her daddy walked in? Oh, Lord... It was bad enough he had walked in on her and Zach making out on  _her_  bed and with Zach's hand up her shirt. That was the only time Beth was glad they weren't back on the farm, her daddy's shotgun would have definitely been making an appearance, then.

"All right, I'm ready to hold Judith, now," Rick said as a way of telling Beth that he was decent. It hadn't occurred to him that getting completely naked with Beth in the room could have been a bad idea. After all, she was just barely eighteen and Hershel had two functional legs now.

Beth handed the baby over gently, smiling as she did so. Judith reached gladly for her father and Rick's face lit up like it was Christmas.

 _It's now or never, Beth._  She hadn't expected to talk with Rick so soon, but with Judith in his arms and looking so happy to have there, maybe he wouldn't get so mad when she finally brought Carol up.

 _Come on, Beth, you can do this._ Beth mentally prepped herself. Everyone was counting on her.

 _Carol_  was counting on her.

With the name of the woman she loved and missed still fresh in her mind, she hoped to draw strength from the incredibly strong woman. Beth opened her mouth and said, "Rick...I use to have a crush on you."

Rick stopped rocking his daughter and looked at her, a shocked and slightly confused expression on his face. Beth just wanted to cover her face and run far away from here. She couldn't believe she had said that out loud and to Rick of all people! The only other person she had told of her crush on Rick had been Carol. Maggie had been too wrapped up with Glenn to pay any attention to her little sister and she needed to spill it to someone. It hadn't taken her long to figure out that Carol would be the most trusted out of everyone in the prison to keep her secret.

Carol had promised to take the secret to her grave and Beth had thought she would do the same. She guessed her mind had other plans.

"Oh, um..." It was obvious that Rick had never been in this situation before and it showed in the way he wouldn't make eye contact with her. Instead, he kept it focused on Judith, who was rapidly losing the battle with sleep.

"It was before the Woodbury citizens came..."  _and after Lori died..._  "I was so happy that you had brought Glenn and Maggie back, safe..." Her traitorous mouth kept going. "I always thought you were very, um, handsome and..." Beth felt her cheeks burn and decided to stop. "Well, um, I'm going to go to bed, now. Bye!" And she high tailed it out of there.

She'd talk to Rick about Carol tomorrow...or whenever she'd be able to show her face around him, again.

Which would probably be never.

 


	15. Chapter Fifteen

**Chapter 15**

Lizzie stuffed another granola bar into the small backpack she kept hidden under her bunk. Including today's addition, she now had five granola bars, a can of tuna and two water bottles. She figured that would be enough supplies to get her to Carol. The only problem now, was finding a place and time to make her escape. Rick or any of the other adults would never let her leave the prison, so she knew she would have to take matters into her own hands.

"What are you doing, Liz?" Mika, her younger sister, walked into the cell and looked at Lizzie oddly. Lizzie just smiled and stood up from her crouching position beside the bed.

"Nothing!" Hoping she didn't look suspicious, Lizzie took a seat on her bed. Since the night she had found out Carol was out there somewhere, she hadn't brought up the subject with her sister. It was clear that Mika didn't want to go and knew that if she found out Lizzie was going, she would squeal to one of the adults.

Lizzie couldn't let that happen. This was her chance to prove to Carol that she wasn't weak. She wanted Carol to be proud of her.

"Well, Mr. Daryl said he was going to the library and wanted to know if we wanted to go with." The library was in a different part of the prison than their cellblock and the children weren't allowed to go there on their own.

"Sure!" Maybe she could find a book to take with her to Carol. She'd like that. Wouldn't she?

"Okay, he said he's leaving soon and we gotta meet him by his cellblock." Mika was practically bouncing on her toes. It had been several weeks since they had been in the library and Lizzie knew that her little sister loved to read.

With one last glance at the bunk, she made sure her pack was still safely hidden and turned to run after Mika to meet with Daryl.

* * *

Daryl saw, to his disappointment, that it was still raining the next day. Michonne and Glenn's run was still on, because they needed the supplies, but his hunting trip would have to wait. That morning, as he made his way to breakfast, he spotted Beth in the kitchen and made it a note to ask if she had spoken with Rick, yet.

Daryl watched as Rick approached Beth to grab his plate of food and saw the young woman not even make eye contact with their leader and a faint blush colored her cheeks. Well, that didn't seem right. He made it a point to ask her about it later.

Now, he was on his way to the library with Lizzie and Mika in tow. Most of the prison had been completely cleared off of all walkers, but the children weren't allowed to roam some of the areas by themselves. Daryl knew that the girls had enjoyed Carol's story time, knowing that there was actual story time going on in those sessions, and had asked if they wanted to join him.

His hunting trip was being temporarily put off, so he thought he could go to the library and find a book or two Carol would like to read. She had to be done with the stack he'd brought back the last month. There wasn't much to do at the cabin and he knew she spent a lot of her time reading.

Skimming the shelves, his mind was elsewhere. It had been little over a week since he had lost seen Carol and he missed her. Daryl needed this plan to work; he  _needed_  Carol to back at the prison with him. Going days on end without seeing her beautiful face was destroying him. If the plan didn't work, though, he'd pack all his stuff and live with Carol. He could come to the prison and visit, but she was the most important person in his life and he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.

"Mr. Daryl." One of the girls materialized in front of him, Lizzie, he thought, and held a book close to her chest. "Do you think Ms. Carol would like this book?" She held up the book and he read the title.  _A Tale of Two Cites_  by Charles Dickens.

After looking at the cover, Daryl finally answered. "Yeah, I think she'll like it."

"Okay!" Lizzie beamed and moved to scurry off, but Daryl's hand shot out and grabbed her shoulder.

Eyes narrowing, he asked, "Why did you want to know if she'd like it?" Something didn't seem right with the question. The girls hadn't mentioned Carol in months and he wondered why she had been brought up now.

"Well, um," Lizzie's eyes never looked up at him as she floundered around for words to say. "If Ms. Carol would like this book, then I'd think I'd like to read it, too!" Satisfied with her answer, she beamed up at him.

"Ain't it a little too mature for you?" Daryl had never read the book, but he remembered back in high school when his English teacher had discussed it in class.

"No," she said. "I'm not a little kid." With a huff, Lizzie went and joined her sister, who was looking through the small section of children's books and effectively cut the conversation short. Daryl just rolled his eyes at the girl and back to his own book search.

* * *

Despite the rain, Michonne, Tyreese and Glenn still went on their run. Michonne wasn't happy about it, but she knew that more than just getting supplies needed to happen on the trip. Glenn had decided to give up shotgun to Tyreese and Michonne drove the green Hyundai to the town they planned on ransacking.

Glenn made eye contact with Michonne through the rearview mirror and tried to convey a message to her through his eyes. He had no idea to approach the subject of Carol with Tyreese and he hoped Michonne had some sort of idea.

"Hershel wants us to pick up some more medicine," Michonne said.

"Are more people getting sick?" Tyreese asked from the passenger's seat, looking slightly worried.

"No, he just wants it just in case. The illness from before has seemed to run it's course, but you can never be so sure." Michonne's eyes made contact with Glenn's again. Something in them told him that he needed to speak.

"Yeah, you can't be too careful. That sickness was horrible." An idea popped into his head. "I...almost wanted to die, so that it would all end. When I started puking up blood, I almost asked Hershel to kill me. I can't imagine how those people felt who had gotten sick before me. God, the pain..."

"No one who got sick before lived, Glenn," Tyreese spoke quietly, which was odd for such a large man. "Not even with the meds..."

"Hershel told me at the end many people  _begged_  to be killed," Michonne added. Glenn looked over at the big man to gouge his reaction.

"I...I wonder how it was for Karen... When I led her to the isolation cell, she had already started to cough up some blood..." Tyreese took on a faraway look. His mind was elsewhere and Michonne and Glenn could only sit and wait to see if he would speak anymore on the subject.

He didn't for the rest of the trip.

* * *

Tyreese was a good man. Despite his large size and build, he'd rarely participate in any physical altercation. The fight he got into with Rick had been a rarity and it showed how well he was with his fists when Rick nearly killed him. However, after seeing Karen,  _his_ Karen, burned and dead had boiled the blood in his veins and he had to lash out at something.

All rational thought had left his brain and he had attacked, wanting nothing more to avenge the death of the woman he had loved. That anger stayed with him for several days after that. Until there was justice for Karen's murder, then he'd hound Rick until there was. Finding out Carol had been the one to do it had come as a complete shock to him. He cared for the woman and knew that she had cared for everyone else at that prison as well. Killing didn't seem to be in her blood, but he had been obviously wrong.

Casting her out from the prison had been the right move, he thought. A murderer shouldn't be allowed to walk among them. But what Glenn had said about the sickness, about the suffering, struck a chord within him.

What if Carol had a reason for killing Karen? What if she had asked to be killed?

He watched the scenery fly past as he rode along in the Hyundai, wishing that he hadn't agreed to come along on this trip. Tyreese wanted nothing more to go back to his cell and to be left alone with his thoughts.

* * *

Beth remained in her cell, scratching away at her diary until it was time to start cooking again for supper. How had Carol done it? Constantly keeping everyone fed was a large chore and Carol had done it practically every day without complaint. Most days Beth wanted to scream in frustration. Many of the Woodbury citizens didn't even say thank you when they were handed their food and some of the older residents even had the gall to complain about it.

Then, there was the matter of Judith's care. That job also fell on Beth's shoulders and was the cause of many sleepless nights. While Maggie lay snuggled up to Glenn, sound asleep, Beth would be rocking a fussy Judith. While Maggie settled down to eat her breakfast, Beth was still busy making it for  _everyone e;se._  Beth loved her sister, she really did, but most days she wondered what the heck she even did around the prison.

The sleepless nights and the ungrateful old ladies was getting to her and she had no one to vent to. She couldn't very well vent to Maggie, since some of her frustrations were about her, and there really wasn't any other girl her age around, either. The only person she could have vented to was Carol and, thanks to Rick, she wasn't there anymore.

With a huff, she slammed her diary shut and climbed out of bed. It was time to stop avoiding Rick and to finally talk to him about Carol. Who cares if she ahd embarrassed herself in front of him. Getting Carol back was more important than her feelings right now. Practically running out her cell, she almost ran into the man himself. From the looks of it, it looked like Rick was heading towards his cell to check up on a napping Judith.

"You all right?" He asked, steadying her with a hand and searched her face.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said.  _Come on, Beth, you can do this. Put those acting skills you learned in drama to use._

An idea had literally popped into her head the moment she was out of the cell and it was time to put it into motion.

"Actually, I'm not fine..." Tears instantly pooled in her eyes and slid down her cheeks, which hadn't taken much, and with a look up at Rick, his concerned face nearly had her smiling. He hadn't suspected a thing. She didn't want to blow it, though, and continued to cry.

"Beth, what's wrong?"

Instead of answering, she slapped him hard across the face.


	16. Chapter Sixteen

**Chapter 16**

Rick stared down at the sobbing girl in front of him and covered his stinging cheek with a hand. Yesterday, he thought it weird that Beth had admitted she use to have feelings for him, but now, after barreling from her cell and slapping him on the cheek, Rick didn't think things could get any weirder.

The normally calm and quiet teenage girl was suddenly on a rampage. Should he be concerned and tell Hershel or was it just her...time of the month?

"I hate you!" Beth practically shrieked and glared at him with tears still pouring from her blue eyes.

Yep, definitely her time of the month. Now, if only he could find a way to escape... All thoughts of escape left him when Beth grabbed his arm and pulled, with strength he never knew she had, until he stumbled into her cell.

Oh God... It was bad enough he had changed with her in the same room. What if Hershel found out Rick was in his youngest daughter's cell?

"Sit," Beth nearly growled.

Rick quickly took a seat on her bed. "Listen, Beth, whatever is wrong, I-"

"Shut up." Loose strands of her blood hair had escaped from her ponytail and flew around her face, giving her a slight crazed look. "I've had it up to here!" A hand lifted above her head to indicate how much she had it up too.

Rick was confused. "What's been bothering you?"

"Everything! Making food for everyone with no thanks and getting hardly any sleep because of your daughter." Beth began to pace the room. "All the housekeeping jobs have seemed to fall on me. Laundry, dishes, everything!"

"I'm sorry, Beth, I can get someone to-"

"You know who use to help me with all that stuff?" She stopped pacing and looked him straight in the eye. All tears were gone now.

"Who?" Rick thought he'd indulge her, hoping that it would calm her down some. He had no idea where all this anger was coming from. The past few months she had seemed perfectly happy. It was true she had done much of the work around here, with the occasionally help from some of the other group members, but she'd seemed okay with it.

"Carol."

That one name had Rick freezing. These past four months he had tried not to think about the woman he had banished, but it was hard. Anger at what she had done would surge through him, but then it was quickly followed by crushing guilt. The guilt  _always_  lasted longer than the anger. Always.

"Carol didn't do everything around here," he finally said with a hard edge to his voice.

"It felt like it," Beth countered. "Cooking meals everyday without complaint and sometimes she would even take care of Judith for me. She's the one who kept track of the stores and let Daryl know whenever they needed to go on runs. She also took care of all the children."

"Yeah, and trained them with weapons behind my back..." Rick muttered.

"Was that really such a bad thing?" Beth snapped. "Tyreese would be dead if it wasn't for Carol teaching those girls how to survive."

Rick remained silent and Beth continued on her rampage. "Carol was the only one I could really talk to." Her voice got softer and she started to sound like the normal Beth.

"Maggie-"

"Too busy with Glenn most of the time and...I could never tell her about the crush I had on you. She'd probably tell daddy and well, that wouldn't have gone over well." She grabbed a stool from the corner of her room and sat on it. The angry tension in her body had melted away.

Rick, once again, started to feel extremely uncomfortable. Not just with Beth mentioning her crush, but also with the mentioning of Carol. Daryl had stopped speaking about her three months ago, and while it was clear he still missed her, Rick was glad that runs to go find her had stopped. He wasn't prepared for the day when Daryl  _did_  find her and insist she be back in the group.

"I know you don't want to talk about Carol, right now, but you should be glad that I'm the one bringing the subject up and not Daryl. He'd probably kick your ass." The curse word sounded odd coming from Beth's mouth, but Rick knew what she had said was true. Tyreese had brought Carol up on the run him and Daryl had gone a few weeks past and Rick had seen what happened to the larger man.

"The subject of Carol doesn't concern you, Beth. It's between me, Tyreese and Daryl."

"No!" Beth shot to her feet. "It does concern me because I loved her and then, you had to go and kick her out! People overlook me and only see me as the girl who took care of Judith; Carol was always there for me. When we were on the run before the prison, she took care of me  _and_  Lori." She flung a finger in his face. "She took care of Carl  _and_ Judith like they were her own. Have you ever given the thought that maybe Carol killed Karen and David because they were suffering? That they asked for it? Or did you just assume she did because she wanted to be a cold-hearted killer?"

Rick sat flabbergasted at everything Beth was throwing his way. She was the last person he expected this from.

"You could have brought her back here to explain herself to  _everyone_ , instead of just leaving her with some supplies and a car. You were there when Andrea said no one can make it alone, anymore. Daryl told me. You were there and yet, you still left Carol out there  _by herself._ " Angry tears began to fill her eyes, but she still kept going. "One day, Daryl is going to find her and he  _will_  bring her back and if you are the reason why she can't live among us anymore, you might as well be kicking Daryl out, too." She wiped the tears from her cheeks, took a deep breath and gave Rick one last look. A look mixed with anger and grief. "You know, Rick, there was a reason why I stopped having feelings for you."

Without another word, Beth walked out of the cell and left Rick to think about everything she had just thrown at him.

* * *

Beth didn't slow her pace down until she was pushing open the door that led to the yard and stood underneath the drizzling rain. Things had gotten a little out of hand with Rick and she had no idea where all that anger had come from, but if it made Rick regret banishing Carol, then she didn't care.

Someone needed to talk some sense into him and Beth felt like she had done a good job. Of the people they would have to convince, Daryl and Glenn both knew that Rick would be the hardest one to convince. Tyreese would take a little bit, but the man was a gentle giant and if he knew the real reason why Carol had killed his girlfriend, then Beth believed he would forgive her for it.

"Beth?" Maggie's voice interrupted her thoughts and she turned to find her sister standing in the same doorway she had just burst through. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." It wasn't a lie. Beth hadn't felt this good in a long time. She found it was nice to get things off her chest and vowed to do it more often instead of just letting it built up. "I don't feel that well, though, can you make dinner, tonight? I'm going to rest for a little bit." She didn't wait for her sister to reply and just brushed past her. She felt perfectly fine. She just didn't feel like making supper for a bunch of ungrateful people. Maggie could handle them on her own.

* * *

Tyreese opted to stand watch as Michonne and Glenn entered into the store. The moment his companions disappeared inside, he knew that keeping watch was probably a bad idea since his mind went back to what Glenn had said earlier in the car. The sickness had caused him so much pain he had wanted to die. Tyreese couldn't help but think about Karen and how she may have felt. Had Carol ended her suffering for her?

Too bad there was no way of knowing. Carol had been gone for four months and Tyreese had no way to find her. If Daryl, the tracker, hadn't found her yet, then there was no hope. Maybe he could talk with Rick and suggest a manhunt for her. Thinking back on it, he thought it unfair that Carol hadn't been able to tell her side of the story.

"Hey, Tyreese, everything, okay?" Glenn was there by his side, Michonne not far off. Together they had two carts full of supplies. He must have been too deep in his thoughts to hear them. Luckily, there hadn't been any walkers around or he would have been a dead man.

"Yeah, I'm good. Are you all done already?"

"Yep," Glenn said with a smile. "Wasn't much in there, so we just took anything useful we could find." He began to push his cart to the car. "Figure this should hold us for a little while." Michonne silently pushed her cart to the car as well.

Tyreese helped pack the Hyundai. When he reached for the last item, he looked up just in time to see Michonne and Glenn exchange a look. He didn't know what to make of it, so he just shrugged and shut the trunk door.

"Ready to go?" Michonne asked and both men nodded. "Good, I'm sick of this rain."

* * *

Carol sat by the small fire in the fireplace and flipped through the pages of a book she had already read twice. With it still raining, Carol had nothing else to do but stay inside. She had already cleaned the cabin, which hadn't taken her long, made her lunch and fixed herself a nice, warm bath. The stack of books by her bed had already been read through once, but she didn't want to just sit and stare at the walls so she grabbed one and began to read it again.

Daryl wouldn't be visiting as long as it rained and she wished it would stop soon. She missed him and it had been over a week since she had last seen him. Carol hadn't gone that long without seeing his face since she had first been banished and she realized how selfish that sounded. She was extremely lucky that Daryl had been able to get out of the prison as much as he had.

Rick was probably growing suspicious and it probably wasn't making Daryl's life any easier. Next time he showed up, she'd tell him that he didn't have to visit as often. It would pain her to say it, but she knew she couldn't be that selfish. Everyone needed Daryl back at the prison and he was risking his life every time he came knocking on her door.

A tear slid down Carol's cheek and splashed on the book in her hands. If only she hadn't killed Karen and David, then she would be back at the prison with the rest of her family and Daryl. She wouldn't have to go to bed alone anymore because she knew Daryl would always be there with her. She could tell stories to Lizzie and Mika, again, and help take care of Judith with Beth.

More tears cascaded down her cheeks and she placed the book aside so she could sob into her hands. If only she hadn't killed them.

But...could she have lived with herself if she had ignored their pleas? They would have died even if she hadn't killed them, but what if they had lived for days with the agonizing pain?

Wiping the salty tears from her cheeks, Carol straightened up more in the seat.  _No,_  she thought.  _I won't regret ending their pain. I would have wanted someone to do the same for me._  She only regretted not telling Rick the whole thing, he probably would have thought she was lying so he wouldn't leave her behind and he had made up his mind before the run.

Rick had known before Carol had stepped into that car that she wouldn't be coming back to the prison with him.


	17. Chapter Seventeen

**Chapter 17**

The rain slowed and finally, stopped as the trio made their way back to the prison. The mood inside the green Hyundai was subdued. Tyreese was silent, with a thoughtful face as he stared out on the backseat's windows. Glenn could barely contain his happiness. They were one step closer to getting Carol back.

Michonne had flashed him a smile before looking back to the road and Glenn was only slightly surprised at the sight of it. The woman smiled even less than Daryl did and that was really saying something.

The gates of the prison came into view and Glenn's face fell when he saw who was at the gate. Rick. Sherriff Grimes was the only obstacle in their plan to bring Carol back to the prison and convincing him that what Carol had done was out of mercy would be difficult. Glenn didn't envy Beth's job.

Rick pulled open the gate for them and Michonne drove the car up to the cement courtyard. Daryl quickly appeared from the cell block and moved to help unload the supplies.

"Any luck?" He finally asked when he got Glenn alone. They were both carrying the last of the supplies.

To anyone else, it would have sounded just like a normal question about the run, but Glenn knew the real reason behind it. He smiled triumphantly and maybe with a hint of smugness. "Yep. Lots." Both men looked ahead at Tyreese. The large had remained silent as they all unloaded the car.

Daryl smiled and clapped his friend on the shoulder. "Thanks." Then, with his arms full of supplies, he walked ahead of Glenn.

Glenn nearly stopped in his tracks. Was today all a dream? Not only had he seen Michonne smile, but Daryl as well and, to top it all off, Daryl had actually  _thanked_  him for something. If his hands weren't full, he would have pinched himself.

Walking into the kitchen, where all the supplies would be set, Glenn was disappointed when he didn't spot Maggie. Usually, she would be the first one to greet him when he got back from a run. Things had been rocky for awhile and she was probably still mad about the last argument they had. Glenn made it a point to talk with her later. If they managed to convince Rick about Carol, Glenn would not have his girlfriend be the only one the prison who didn't want Carol there.

That evening, they dined on cans of stew and everyone in the group sighed in relief. That morning they had to suffer through burnt oatmeal. The goopy breakfast was bad enough when made perfectly, but was almost intolerable with burnt chunks. Beth had handed over breakfast duty to her sister and it was obvious the older Greene girl wasn't that great of a cook.

From the stories, Glenn had been glad he just grabbed a couple granola bars for breakfast. He loved Maggie, but even knew her culinary skills needed improving. Beth had taken over for dinner, a few other former Woodbury citizens helped out and Maggie was now sitting by her father.

Glenn decided that he would have to talk with Maggie before they went to bed. Hopefully, she'd be willing to listen.

"Did you see Rick's face?" The hunter asked as he picked up his spoon and began to eat.

"Yeah," Glenn answered. "I saw it when he was helping us unload. Where do you think he got that bruise from?"

Daryl shrugged. "Remind to thank whoever did it."

Glenn paused. "Do you think it was Beth? She was supposed to talk with him, today."

Daryl stopped his spoon midway to his mouth. "No way. Little Beth Greene punching Rick in the face? Yeah, right."

"Slapped, actually." Both men jumped at the sound of the aforementioned young woman. Beth walked around the table, bowl of stew in her hand and sat across from them, a smug grin on her face.

"Why did you slap him?" Glenn's bowl lay to the side, forgotten for now. "He didn't say anything bad to you, did he? I'll kick his ass."

Daryl snorted and Beth hid a smile behind a hand. "No, he didn't say anything bad. I just thought I'd do a little acting and played the distraught little girl."

Now, Daryl was interested. "What all did you say?"

Beth happily told them.

* * *

That evening, Daryl made his way to his cell feeling optimistic. Tyreese would no longer be a problem where Carol was concerned and the only people left to convince were Rick and Carol, herself. Beth had done a good job with Rick, but he still needed more nudging.

At this point, though, Daryl didn't care how Rick would react when Carol was brought back to the prison. Though, it had been wrong of Carol to take matters into her own hands, but she did what she had to. Karen and David were suffering, they wanted to die and Carol had been the one to show them mercy.

He passed Maggie on his way to his cell and stopped in his trucks when the woman threw him a glare. What the hell was her problem? For four months, he had endured various glares from the older Greene girl and he was getting sick of it.

"Do you have a problem, Maggie?" Daryl turned so that he faced her.

"Actually, yes." Maggie turned to face him and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Go ahead," Daryl gestured for her to continue.

"Glenn was perfectly happy before you started filling his head about Carol being innocent crap. Now, all he wants to do is find her. She's a murderer and you're willing to let her back in the prison?" Maggie went right into it.

Daryl held himself back before he snapped. "First of all, Glenn  _does_  have a mind of his own. It's sad that he's just realizin' now that he doesn't have to constantly be up your ass." Maggie looked about to say something, but Daryl didn't give her the chance to speak. "Do you even know the whole story about Carol or are you too stubborn to believe that what you think about her is wrong? It makes me sick that you turned your back on her so quickly."

Maggie's mouth set in a firm line. "The Carol I knew before the prison wouldn't kill two defenseless people. The world has changed her. Turned her cold and heartless."

"So, you'll listen to Rick's side of things, a man who has  _lied_ and kept things from us, but you aren't willin' to hear Carol's side of the story? A woman who had always been there and who has always had a kind word to say to you."

"What is there to say? There isn't a good enough reason to kill someone who couldn't protect themselves."

"Did you ever think for a second that Karen and David were sufferin'? That they asked to be killed?" Daryl took a step closer. "Do you remember when Glenn was sick?"

Maggie froze.

"He asked you to kill him, didn't he? He was pukin' up blood and asked you to end it? Luckily, he got sick after everyone else and the meds helped him. Karen and David were the first, after Patrick, and there was no hope that they would live. Why don't you go back to your cell and think about  _that._ " Daryl didn't even wait for the young woman across from him to speak. He turned on his heel and went back to his cell.

* * *

Glenn cautiously approached the cell he shared with Maggie and was surprised to hear quiet sobs coming from it. Opening the curtain, Glenn saw Maggie curled on her side in the bunk with tears coursing down her cheeks.

Without a word, Glenn climbed in the bed and wrapped his arms around her. He wasn't shoved away and took it as a good sign.

"I'm so sorry," Maggie whispered and Glenn knew exactly why she was apologizing.

* * *

Daryl opted to take the silver truck with him 'hunting' this time, instead of his motorcycle. While visiting Carol, he did plan on doing some hunting and hoped to snag a deer. Squirrel and rabbit meat was starting to get old.

Glenn and Tyreese gathered around the vehicle and once Daryl packed everything he needed, he walked up to him. Slightly confused, he wondered why Tyreese was there. Glenn's presence he understood, but not the big man.

Tyreese must have noticed the slight confusion and smiled. "I'm just here to apologize. For saying all those things about Carol and attacking you at that store."

Daryl shrugged. "If I remember right, I was the one who may have gone a little overboard with the fist throwin'."

Tyreese chuckled. "Well, Glenn, here, has made me realize that maybe what Carol did wasn't bad. Karen was suffering. I haven't known Carol that long, but I know she cares for people and she would never just kill someone to kill them. What Rick said, about her being cold, well, I don't think that's true at all." Glenn was smiling widely now as they listened to Tyreese talk. "I know that all these hunting trips of yours aren't just hunting trips." Daryl froze. "I know you still go out there and look for Carol, even though you tell Rick different. When you find her, bring her back here. You won't have to worry about me. Hell, I'll welcome her back with open arms. I miss her cooking." He winked.

Daryl glanced at Glenn and then looked at Tyreese. "Thanks, man. When I find her, I'll definitely be bringin' her back home."

* * *

Lizzie watched the three men gather around the truck from her place in the grassy yard. Rick was with Carl and baby Judith, Maggie was with Beth in the library and Hershel was taking a nap in his cell. Many of the Woodbury citizens were staying out of the heat and no one else was in the yard. No one was currently in the watch tower, either and now was the perfect time to enact her plan. There was a part of the prison that was overgrown with weeds and was used like a scrape yard. Beyond the weeds, was a part of the chain link fence that was void of walkers. With her backpack on her back and wire cutters in her hand, Lizzie made her way over to the fence. Zip ties were stuffed in both pockets. Once she cut through the metal and squeezed through the opening, she would close the gap. She didn't want walkers to break through and harm the people in the prison.

Once that was done, then she'd be off to find Carol. Of course, she had no idea where the cabin was, but she figured all she had to do was follow the road Daryl drove off on. She'd be okay as long as she kept hidden in the trees and had her trusty knife by her side.

By nightfall, she'd be in Carol's arms.


	18. Chapter Eighteen

**Chapter 18**

Daryl parked the truck on the side of the road, grabbed his crossbow and made his way to Carol's cabin. It had been entirely too long since he had seen Carol's beautiful face and he all but ran the rest of the way to the small building.

Things at the prison were starting to look up. Tyreese wanted Carol back, Maggie stopped giving him dirty looks and Beth had slapped the shit out of Rick. Rick was really the only obstacle left and Daryl was confident that the man would not be a problem for long.

Carol answered after the first knocks and didn't hesitate to jump into his arms. It had been over a week since they had last seen each other. They hadn't gone that long without one another since the month after her banishment.

"Things okay at the prison?" Carol asked as Daryl carried her to the bedroom. He wasn't going to waste anytime to get her naked and she wasn't going to protest.

"Everythin' is fine," he said and then, kissed her. "It's jus' been a little difficult leavin' the prison with the storm and all."

"Okay, good." Daryl placed her gently on the bed and began to unbutton his shirt. Carol pulled hers above her head. "I've missed you."

Their pants were the next thing to fall to the ground and Daryl crawled on top of her. "I've missed you, too, darlin'." He kissed a trail from her ear, across her jaw and finally, claimed her lips, again.

Daryl didn't bother with Carol's bra and instead, pulled down the cup and latched onto a breast. Carol arched into him and buried her hands in his long, shaggy hair. It had been too long.

* * *

Awhile later, they both lay in bed, sated. For now. Carol lay curled on her side, head resting on an arm and trailed her fingers along Daryl's chest. Daryl was half-asleep, even though it was still light out.

"How do you feel about coming back to the prison?" He mumbled, struggling to keep his eyes open. This was an important subject to discuss and he was  _not_ going to fall asleep.

Carol sighed and sat up, the sheet pooled at her waist and despite his tiredness; Daryl's eyes went directly to her naked chest. "Daryl, you know how I feel about that. You ask me almost every time you come up. I can't go back."

"What if every one wants you back?" Daryl pulled himself to a sitting position and searched her eyes.

"Why? Has Tyreese and Rick left to make their own group? I'm sure they will never want me back. Not after what I did."

"Tyreese wants you back." Carol looked at him in shock and he continued. "Glenn and Michonne talked with him and now, he wants you back so he can talk with you. He knows you ain't cold and knows that you only killed Karen because she was sufferin'."

Tears came to Carol's eyes. "How about Rick?" She knew he'd be the harder of the two to convince.

"He's not there, yet," Daryl answered. "Beth's workin' on it, though. The other day, she slapped the shit out of him."

"What?" Carol covered her mouth with a hand. "Beth? Innocent, wouldn't hurt a fly, Beth?" She couldn't imagine the girl striking anyone. Sure, she had seen her kill walkers, but she had never laid her hands on a living human being in any sort of violent way.

"Yep. Then, she started screamin' at him for kickin' you out. Basically called him out on his bullshit." Daryl smirked. "I think he's more confused than anythin', right now."

Carol couldn't help but laugh. "I'd have liked to see that."

"Well, when you get back, she can tell you all about it." Daryl lay back down and reached for her. "Come on, let's get some sleep."

"Wait, Daryl," Carol said. "Do you plan on having me go back with you, tomorrow?"

"Naw, there's still some things left to sort out at the prison, but when I come visit again, I expect your ass to be comin' back to the prison with me." His eyes were closed and his voice was no nonsense.

"Okay," Carol said and lay down close to his side. "I'll come back with you, then."

Daryl smiled. "Good."

* * *

That night, Glenn told Maggie  _everything._  From visiting Carol in her cabin to the plan they had all came up with to get her back. Maggie had even been willing to help, if they needed it. Glenn couldn't help but sigh happily and run his fingers through Maggie's short hair as she slept.

Things were starting to go back to normal between them. Hopefully, they wouldn't be getting in any more fights anytime soon. He missed being able to sleep in the same bed as Maggie.

"Do you think Rick will let her back?" Maggie's voice startled him, since he had thought she was fast asleep.

"I don't know," Glenn answered honestly. "But if he doesn't, he'll lose Daryl for sure. He isn't going to stay here without Carol for much longer."

Maggie snuggled closer to him. "I can understand that. Do you think Carol will be able to forgive me for turning my back on her? I don't even know why I agreed with Rick so, quickly." She sighed. "If I were her, I wouldn't forgive me."

Glenn smiled. "Maggie, this is Carol we're talking about. Of course, she'd forgive you."

* * *

Mika didn't realize until later the next afternoon that Lizzie was missing. Some nights, Lizzie like to hang around the prison doing who knew what and go to bed after Mika already had, so she didn't think anything of it when she fell asleep by herself.

When she woke up alone the next morning, she was still wasn't alarmed. But after eating breakfast on her own, she asked around to see if anyone had seen her older sister and no one had. A sick feeling settled into the pit of her stomach. With Carol gone, now, Lizzie was the only thing she had left in this world.

Racing to their cell, she fell to her knees and looked underneath the bunks. Lizzie had a pack usually stuffed under there from when they had been on the run with their father, but now it was gone.

Suddenly, the conversation they had had over a week ago came spiraling back and Mika knew exactly where Lizzie was. She was out looking for Carol. By herself.

Within seconds, Mika was tearing through the prison looking for Rick or Daryl. They had to go out and find her before something bad happened.

* * *

Lizzie felt like she was lost. Several hours after she had left the prison, it had grown dark and she had been forced to climb a tree to sleep. Now, the sun was up and still, there was no sight of Carol's cabin.

Luckily, she had been able to avoid any walkers and the knife at her belt remained unused. Many times, she had wanted to turn around and go back to the prison and Mika, but she needed to prove to Carol that she wasn't weak.

Just then, a rumble like a car's engine echoed through the trees and Lizzie scrambled to follow the sound. She had lost sight of the road the night before and if there was a car nearby, so knew the road had to be, too.

Running towards the noise, she saw a black truck zoom past and she was crashing through the underbrush and watched it go. It looked like the truck Daryl had left in the day before and if it was, then she knew she shouldn't be too far from Carol.

The road lay in front of her and with a smile, she began to follow it. She'd see Carol soon.

* * *

When Daryl returned to the prison, he found it in chaos. People were running around everywhere and for a second, he thought that maybe there were walkers inside again. Quickly, he grabbed his crossbow and was running towards the cellblocks. Rick met him halfway, slightly out of breath.

"What's goin' on?" He demanded.

"It's Lizzie," Rick said. "She's gone."

The little shit. Daryl had always known there was something off with the young girl and now, she was somewhere out there all by herself. "What the hell is she thinkin'? Do you know why she left?"

Rick sighed. "Mika said that she left to go find Carol."


	19. Chapter Nineteen

**Chapter 19**

"Fuck," Daryl cursed and ran a hand through his long hair. What the hell was that girl thinking going out by herself trying to find Carol?

Rick stepped closer to him, getting entirely too close for comfort. "Is there something you want to tell me, Daryl?"

Daryl narrowed his eyes and nearly shoved Rick away from him. "What the hell do you mean?"

"That little girl wanted to go see Carol. How does she even know Carol is still out there?"  _Alive_  was the unspoken word and Daryl gritted his teeth. Rick didn't look the least bit remorseful when he brought up that Carol could be dead.

"And," Rick continued. "Why would she go out there to look for her if she had no idea where Carol was in the first place?"

Daryl shrugged. "She's a little girl who is missin' the woman she cared for. Maybe she was sick of not having her here anymore and went out to look for her? Did you think about that, Rick? Or are you surprised that I ain't the only one in this damn prison who misses the hell outta Carol?"

Rick put up his hands and warded him off. "There's no need to get defensive Daryl. Unless..." He paused.

"Unless, what? Huh?" Daryl got into Rick's face.

"Unless you know where Carol is."

"And if I do? Are you goin' to kick me out, too, because I kept it from you? Do it, then." He shoved Rick. "At least then, I wouldn't have an excuse to stick around here, anymore."

Rick stumbled from the shove and kept his distance from Daryl. "How long have you known?"

"Three months."

"Is that way you've been going out so much?" Rick looked to be having a problem processing what Daryl was saying.

"Yeah. Carol's family and there was no way in  _hell_  I was goin' to just drop her and forget she even existed. It may have worked out nicely for you, despite everythin' she's done for your family, but not for me. She's the reason, the  _only_  reason, why I've stuck around this long." Daryl began to pace in front of the ex-lawmen.

Rick was about to say something, but Daryl had enough of the man for the moment and when he saw Tyreese approaching the two, he brushed past him without another word. "Hey, Tyreese. Wanna come with me to find this little girl?"

Even though there was something obviously off with Lizzie, Carol still loved her and Daryl would be damned if he didn't find this little girl.

* * *

Lizzie wanted to rest, but she wouldn't allow herself until she was with Carol again. She was also hungry and thirsty, but had used up all the supplies she'd thought to bring along. She knew she should have rationed herself with the food, but she had been  _starving._

Maybe leaving the prison by herself hadn't been such a good idea. She should have begged Mr. Dixon to let her come with the next time he saw Carol. Maybe he'd let her and Mika go.

Crunching leaves to her right had Lizzie raising her knife, ready to strike. But what she saw had her dropping her knife and running.

"Carol!" She cried and threw herself into the woman's arms.

* * *

Carol had finally gotten out of bed an hour after Daryl left and decided she'd check some of the snares he had left around the cabin. She wanted to have some meat for tonight's supper. Canned goods were quickly getting old.

What she hadn't expected to find on her trip outside was Lizzie. The girl was flying into her arms before she could register what was going on. Why was Lizzie even outside of the prison's gates? Looking at the girl's appearance, it looked like she had been in the woods for a while, too.

"Lizzie!" She cried. "What are you doing out here?"

Lizzie looked up at her with a wide smile. "I was out looking for you! I heard Mr. Daryl talking about you living out here somewhere and I knew I had to find you." She snuggled back into Carol's midsection.

"By yourself?"

"Mika wouldn't come with me."

Thank God her little sister didn't come with, Carol thought. What if they had run into a herd of walkers? Carol would have lost the two girls she was supposed to look out for without knowing it.

"Come on," she ushered and wrapped around the girl. "Let's get you inside and you can tell me everything you've been up, too."  _Then, I'm taking you right back to the prison._

* * *

Things were silent between Tyreese and Daryl as they rode in the truck. Daryl was behind the wheel and he knew he should be in the woods looking for Lizzie; there was one place he needed to go to first. Carol needed to know what was going on and he had brought Tyreese along knowing that the large man wouldn't do anything stupid when he saw Carol.

Rick on the other hand...

"So, things bad between you and Rick, again?" Tyreese asked out of nowhere.

"Naw," Daryl muttered and kept his eyes on the road. "He jus' said a bunch of stupid shit."

"Hm, I see." Tyreese nodded. "About Carol, I take it. You seem to only get really angry when she's involved." Daryl didn't say anything, but Tyreese didn't mind and continued to talk. "I know where out here to get her. You're a tracker, Daryl, and I've suspected for a while that you've known where she's been at for awhile."

Daryl chewed on the skin of his thumb. "Yeah, I have."

"Well, I'm not going to do anything stupid when we see her. I promise. We got to find this little girl first and then, I'd like to have a talk with Carol, if that's all right."

Daryl knew that Tyreese had every right to find out from Carol why she had killed Karen. "Of course."

"Don't worry about Rick, either, when we bring her back." Tyreese smiled. "I bet if we stand real close to him, looking angry, he'll let her back in with no problems."

Daryl cracked a grin and pulled off to the side of the road. Grabbing his crossbow from the back, he looked at Tyreese. "From here, we'll have to walk."

Tyreese took the hammer out of his belt and followed. Daryl saw the weapon and laughed softly to himself, but Tyreese heard.

"What's so funny?"

"Still can't believe you still use that thing as a weapon." Daryl kept his crossbow at his side and began to walk into the woods.

"We all don't have ourselves a crossbow and I'm shit at shooting a gun, so a hammer is the way to go." Tyreese's large frame crashed through the woods and Daryl was glad they weren't hunting, because all the game would have gotten scared off. "Besides, if it gets the job done, then who cares?"

"I guess." Together they walked the rest of the way to the cabin in silence and Tyreese hung back as Daryl knocked on the door.

Carol opened the door and her eyes grew wide when she saw Tyreese standing behind Daryl, but relaxed when the big man smiled at her.

"Lizzie's missing," Daryl immediately said.

"I know," Carol sighed and opened the door wider. Standing there, looking perfectly fine was a smiling Lizzie. She gave them both a wave.

The two men walk into the cabin and Tyreese lets out a low whistle. "You got yourself a nice place here, Carol."

Carol smiled. "Daryl found it for me."

Daryl watched as Lizzie approached Carol and tugged at the woman's sleeve to get her attention. "Ms. Carol, are you and Mr. Daryl together?"

Amusement flashed in Carol's eyes when she looked at him. "Yes, honey, we are."

"Yay!" The girl jumped up and down before running to Daryl and giving him a large hug. "I was so mad because I thought you and Beth were together." She made a disgusted face. "She's  _way_  too young for you, Mr. Daryl."

Daryl felt his own face scrunch him. Him and Beth? She was young enough to be his daughter and before the whole Carol banishment thing, they had barely spoken five words to one another. Tyreese had thought the same thing and it thoroughly disgusted him. He really had no opinion of the young girl until she had started showing interest in the fact that Carol was missing.

"You know," Tyreese spoke up. "We should probably take the girl back before things get even crazier at the prison."

"Sounds good." Daryl looked at Carol. "Are you goin' to come with?"

Carol looked at Tyreese, who nodded, before looking back at Daryl. "Um, let me gather a few things and then, I'll...come back with you."

Daryl smiled. "I'll help. Tyreese why don't you take Lizzie back to the truck. Me and Carol will take her truck and meet you back at the prison." He threw the keys and Tyreese caught them.

"All right," Tyreese agreed. "Should I warn Rick what's going on?"

"Naw," Daryl smiled. "Let's surprise him."


	20. Chapter Twenty

**Chapter 20**

When Daryl had first shown Carol the cabin, she didn't have much in the way of belongings. Just a pack full of clothes and some food. That was it. Now, she had a few books lying around from the prison's library, a lot more clothes(thanks to Daryl), some body spray and lotions(also, thanks to Daryl) and pots and pans she used for cooking. They were going to take it all.

"Didn't realize how much shit you had," Daryl grunted a little when he hefted a heavy bag into the back of her truck.

"It's all your fault, Daryl." Carol came up behind him and slapped his behind playfully. Instead of yelping at the unexpected hit, Daryl growled and pinned her between his body and the green metal of the truck. His eyes grew dark and focused on her lips.

"If you don't stop, Tyreese and Lizzie are goin' to wonder what's takin' us so long." Daryl lowered his head and nipped at the pulse point in her neck. Carol gasped and without her telling it to, one of her legs slid up and wrapped itself around Daryl's waist to pull him closer.

"I'm really going to be sad to see this place go." Carol tilted her neck to the side as Daryl placed a row of kisses from her shoulder to her ear. He pulled back and looked at her after she spoke.

"Who says we ain't goin' to come back here, again? Privacy ain't worth shit at the prison and I'm probably goin' to drag you out here every chance I get. 'Sides, I'm goin' to miss sleepin' on a real bed."

Carol placed her forehead on his and looked him straight in the eye. "I love you." It was a random time to say the sentiment, but she needed to say it. Daryl's eyes softened at the words and he slanted his lips over hers and kissed her softly. That was his unspoken way of saying he loved her, too.

As their kisses grew more heated and Carol felt evidence of Daryl's arousal, she had to push him away before things could go any further. As much as she wanted to rip off his clothes and have her way with him, they still had more packing to do.

"We're being ridiculous." She smiled and unwound her legs from around his waist to stand firmly on solid ground.

"Once we get back, we're christenin' that cell of ours." Daryl adjusted himself.

"Our cell, huh? Who says I'd want to cell a share with you?" She winked to let him know that she was just teasing. If she didn't tease him, then her mind would wonder to other things. Like, how would she be received back at the prison? Daryl said everyone wanted her back, but even if there was just one person from her family that resented her for what she did, she knew she wouldn't be able to handle it.

"Carol?" Daryl must have noticed the way her face went from happy to sad in a matter of seconds. "What's wrong, darlin'?" Carol tried to smile and shrug it off, but Daryl knew her better than that.

"I'm scared," she said so quietly, Daryl almost missed it. Her chin fell to her chest and Daryl watched a tear slide down her cheek and splash to the dirt below. The playful atmosphere of before darkened.

"You don't have to be." Daryl pulled her close and rested his chin on her head.

"I know Rick doesn't want me, there." Carol's voice was muffled in his shirt. "But what about Carl? I promised Lori I'd look after him if anything happened to her and I've already broken that promise by being away so long, but what if he hates me, now?"

"He doesn't have any right to hate you, Carol. He's killed before, someone surrederin', and nothin' bad happened to him. His daddy didn't kick him out. So, if he's mad about you endin' someone's sufferin', then he needs to be taught a listen." Carol felt Daryl's mouth turn up in a smile. "And I'll gladly teach him it. Rick won't be too happy, but someone's got to do it."

Carol stood back and looked at him with a smile. "Thank you." She went up on her tiptoes and kissed him chastely. "For making me feel better." Patting him gently on the cheek, Carol detached herself from his arms and walked back to the cabin's still open back door. "Come on; let's get the rest of my stuff packed and hit the road."

Daryl grumbled at the thought of doing more work and followed Carol. "Shouldn't have gotten you so much shit."

* * *

"Mr. Ty," Lizzie looked up at the big man as they trudged through the woods to the truck. "Do you think Mr. Rick will kick me out when we get back?"

Tyreese nearly stopped in his tracks at the unexpected question. "No, you're just a kid, Lizzie? Why would you think that?"

"Because he got mad at Ms. Carol and kicked her out. That's what Beth told me, anyways, and I bet he's mad at me for leaving the prison without permission."

"He won't kick you out. I promise and he was wrong for doing that to Carol."

Lizzie smiled. "I know. I'm glad she's coming back. Me and Mika missed her so much."

Tyreese couldn't help but return the smile. "I bet you guys did. Carol's a great woman and she really cares for you and your sister. She deserves to be back to be with you guys again." The truck was in sight, now.

"Do you think she'll have time for us now that she's with Mr. Daryl?"

"If I know her well enough, Lizzie, I know she will." Tyreese walked around the driver's side and Lizzie hopped into the passenger's seat, a smile on her face.

"Good."

The rest of the truck ride was made in silence, which relieved Tyreese. He had no idea what to say to a little girl and their conversation in the woods had been awkward at best. Lizzie looked to be eleven or twelve, but acted much older. Even Mika acted mature for age, as well. Tyreese supposed that in this world the children had to grow up faster. In the almost year he had been at the prison, he had watched Carl go from a boy to a young man.

They pulled up to the prison and saw Rick was waiting to open the gate for them. He looked at them anxiously as they pulled forward and when Tyreese came to a complete stop, he was right there. Lizzie hopped out of the truck and didn't even give Rick a glance before she was running to embrace Mika, who had heard the approaching truck and gone to see if her sister was back.

Tyreese got out more slowly and Rick was right there. "Where's Daryl?" Were the first words out of his mouth.

"He's coming." That was all Tyreese was going to offer the man. Rick didn't need to know when Daryl was coming or who he was coming with, either.

"I don't understand..." Rick said, confused. Why didn't Daryl just come back with Tyreese and Lizzie. Unless...

"You will when he gets here." Tyreese didn't say another word and walked over to the two hugging sisters. Rick watched as Mika detached herself from Lizzie and threw her arms around Tyreese. Her arms didn't even reach to his back. Tyreese chuckled at the girl and patted her on the back as a way of returning the embrace.

Rick watched them for a few minutes more and then, turned back to the gate to wait for Daryl. He had an uneasy feeling in his gut and deep down, he knew that Daryl wasn't coming back to the prison alone.

* * *

Daryl looked over at Carol in the passenger seat and saw that her hands were shaking in her lap. Her gaze was focused out the window to her right and the way she was biting at her bottom lip, Daryl knew that she was still frightened of what was to come at the prison.

Pulling over to the side of the road, Daryl turned off the truck, slid over on the bench seat and grabbed her shaking hands on his. Carol looked at him with wide eyes and a question on her lips, but he stopped it with a quick kiss.

"That's not going to help every time, Daryl." Carol's lips twitched up into a small smile. Daryl smirked and in a fluid moment, wrapped an arm around her waist, picked her up and settled her into his lap.

"How about this?"

Carol wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her forehead to his. "Hm, it might be helping a little bit."

"Only a little?" He pulled her even closer to his body.

They say there quietly for a moment, both just reveling in the feel of having on another so close. If everything went well, this might be the last time it'd be just them. At the prison, they would have their own cell, but that was it. They wouldn't have an entire cabin to themselves anymore and it would probably take a little getting use to now. The cabin was nice and Daryl knew he'd take Carol back there whenever he could, but he knew Carol needed to be with her family. He knew that she was more than capable of being on her own, she had proved it these past few months, but given a choice she'd choose to be with a group, especially her family, every time.

"Everythin' is goin' to be all right," Daryl spoke. "No matter what happens when we get back to the prison, Carol, you'll always have me." Daryl wasn't one to talk about mushy romantic crap, but Carol needed to hear it right now.

Carol smiled. "I know."

* * *

Rick paced the front of the yard for several minutes. No one joined him and he was glad, because if Daryl was going to do what he thought he was, then Rick didn't want anyone else around while they talked.

Hearing the sound of an approaching vehicle, he turned to see a green truck drive up to the gates and stop. Daryl leaned out of the driver's window and waved. From where Rick was he could see someone in the passenger's seat, but couldn't make out who.

The truck came to a stop and Rick's hands grew sweaty when Daryl's door opened and the man stepped to the ground. Without looking at Rick, Daryl walked around the truck and opened the other door. Rick heard him murmuring something to whoever it was.

Rick took a deep breath when he heard footsteps approach him. He had been looking at the ground, hoping to compose himself before coming face to face with Daryl's visitor.

"Hi, Rick."

Rick froze. He knew that voice  _anywhere_. He lifted his head and looked right into the watery blue eyes of Carol Peletier.

 


	21. Chapter Twenty One

**Chapter 21**

Daryl watched as Rick and Carol came face to face for the first time in four months. Carol's eyes had started to fill with tears even before she had climbed out of the truck and from the look on Rick's face; it looked like he was close to tears himself. Daryl thought that was a good sign.

"Carol...I can't believe it." Rick looked over her shoulder at Daryl, who was leaning against the front of the truck and watching them very carefully. Rick didn't doubt that if he made the wrong move, Daryl would be there in an instant.

"Yeah, it's me." Carol's voice was soft and her eyes were watery. Looking down, Rick saw that her hands were shaking slightly. He reached out and grabbed them in his hands. Daryl shifted in place and crossed his arms.

Rick was at a loss for words. All the hours he had spent lying awake the past four months thinking of what he'd say to Carol if they met again left his mind and he was left with a blank. Truthfully, he had missed Carol something fierce and that was something he hadn't admitted aloud to anyone. The eight months they had been on the run after the farm, Carol had taken care of Lori when he had refused to and Rick would forever be grateful for that. She had taken care of his children when he couldn't and she'd become a dear friend to him after Lori's death.

"Rick, are you okay?" Carol's hands were still in his and he had taken to staring intently at their joined appendages.

"Oh," Rick immediately let go of her hands and ran one of his through his hair. "Sorry."

"Are y'all goin' to talk or are you goin' to just hold hands all day?" Daryl called out to them. Carol turned and glared at him before looking back at Rick.

"Daryl's right, Rick. We have to talk." Carol crossed her arms over her chest and rubbed at them, as if to keep warm. "You need to know why I killed Karen and David."

"They were sick, Carol. I think I...understand." Daryl raised his eyebrows at the man, but Rick didn't notice.

"They were suffering, Rick. They begged me to kill them and I did it."

Rick was silent and his mouth was agape in surprise. "They  _begged_  for it, Carol?"

Tears glistened in her eyes. "Yes. I went down there to see how they were doing. If they had been doing better then I would have left them alone, but if not, then I would have killed them. Even if they hadn't asked. Patrick died in less than twenty-four hours and I couldn't have them getting Judith or anyone else sick."

"You did it for Judith?" Rick asked.

"Yes. I can't have another child die on me, Rick. Especially one so young." A tear slid down her cheek. "It was hard to do it, even with them begging me."

Rick broke down and gathered Carol in his arms. Daryl watched with narrowed eyes. "I'm sorry for kicking you out, Carol." Rick said.

"It's okay." Carol smiled. "I'm back, now. Well, if you let me come back, that is."

"Of course!" Rick smiled and pulled her close, again. When Daryl cleared his throat loudly, they stepped apart and Carol rolled his eyes at him. Rick looked between them and went over to the truck. "I'm going to bring some of your stuff up to the cellblock. Daryl's cell, right?" He winked.

"Yeah," she answered with a smile. The couple watched Rick walk by with arms full of Carol's belongings. Carol wrapped an arm around Daryl. "That wasn't so bad."

"Naw, it wasn't." Daryl agreed.

"Do you think it was  _too_ easy?" Worry sounded in her tone. "Do you really think he forgives me or was he just saying that because everyone was watching?"

"What?" Daryl was confused. Carol pointed to the brick building of the prison and Daryl saw Glenn, Beth, Tyreese and the girls watching them. Glenn had the audacity to wave cheerfully at them. Daryl almost flipped him off, but held back because Lizzie and Mika were right there. "No, I don't think he was just sayin' that. We've kind of been chippin' away at him for awhile, now, and we finally got him to understand."

This time happy tears filled her eyes. It felt good to know that so many had cared about her. Carol went up on her tiptoes and kissed him. "I love you so much."

* * *

Carol waited in their cell for Daryl to return with dinner. She had offered to help with the cooking, but the Greene sisters had shooed her away and told her she should take the day off. Carol had protested that she had taken four months off, but they wouldn't listen.

The curtain rustled over the doorway and Carol thought it was Daryl returning, but someone knocked on the bars. Daryl wouldn't knock.

"Come in." Carol was surprised when Carl entered the room, the Sheriff's hat still placed on his head. Carol noticed that the boy needed a haircut. Maybe one day she'd be able to sit both him and Daryl down for one.

"Hi, Carol."

"Hi, Carl. Is there something wrong?" This was the first time Carol had seen Carl since she had come back and she was somewhat nervous to see how he felt about her.

"I just wanted to see you." He took a step closer. "Is that okay?"

"Of course!" Carol smiled and made room for him to sit by her on the bed. Things were looking up.

Carl took the offered seat and gave her a tentative smile. "I've missed you, Carol."

Without warning, tears filled up Carol's eyes. "You did?" At his nod, she wrapped him in her arms and pulled him close, not caring that she might be squashing him. "I missed you, too!"

"I was mad at my dad for kicking you out." She released him from the hug, but his body still faced her. "I know why you did it. You were protecting Judith and if I hadn't been forced into quarantine, I would have done the same."

Carol grabbed his arm, horrified. "No! Carl Grimes, you would have  _not_  done it."

"I would have," Carl said, vehemently. "If it meant Judith was safe, I'd do anything for her." Carol stood up and reached for him again, not believing where this conversation was going.

"If that's the case, Carl, then I'm glad you were locked up in quarantine. I did what I had to do and the last thing I'd want for you is to have you live with the regret of killing an innocent person." She stepped closer and made sure to keep eye contact with him. "I promised your mother I'd protect you and your sister like you were my own and I did."

Carl stood silently for a moment. "You're right, Carol." He looked up at her, his hat causing a shadow to cast on his face. "Thank you." He hugged her, again.

"You're welcome, honey. Now," she straightened his hat with a smile. "I think Beth has Judith. Why don't you grab a plate of food and sit with her?"

He nodded. "Okay. I'll see you later." A moment later he was walking back through the curtain. Daryl appeared seconds later, a plate of food in each hand and by the look on his face, he had heard everything.

Handing Carol her food, he sat beside her on the bed. "Are you okay?"

Carol smiled and replied honestly, "I am, now." Carl didn't hate her, Rick and the rest of her family were all glad she was back and there would no longer be nights where she'd have to sleep alone because Daryl was always going to be there with her, now.

**The End**


End file.
